Question: I use `rsync` as follows:

> 
> rsync -a --backup --suffix="."$(date +"%Y%m%d%H%M") *source backups*
> 
> 
> 

to dump the whole of folder *source* into the folder *backups*, with the additional feature that if I modify some file *foo* in *source*, the old version of *foo* in backups will be renamed with a date suffix before the new *foo* is copied into *backups*.

This simple procedure does the job for me, only that I would like a **deleted** file to be **renamed** with the date suffix instead of being removed from *backups*. That is, if *foo* is deleted from source, then rename *foo* in *backups* with the date suffix.

I have tried to achieve this but so far no success. Any ideas?

Answer: 
Adding the `--backup-dir` option should do what you're looking for:

> 
> --backup-dir=DIR
>  In combination with the --backup option, this tells rsync to store all backups in the specified directory on the receiving side. This can be used for incremental backups. You can additionally specify a backup suffix using the --suffix option (otherwise the files backed up in the specified directory will keep their original filenames). 
> 
> 
> 

e.g.

```
rsync -ab --backup-dir=versions --suffix="."$(date +"%Y%m%d%H%M") --delete /source/folder/ /destination/folder

```

This would create backups of your files at /destination/versions

Source: <https://linux.die.net/man/1/rsync>
For incremental rsync backup used rsnapshot tool.

Sample rsnapshot.conf

```
snapshot_root   /backup

cmd_cp          /bin/cp

cmd_rm          /bin/rm

cmd_rsync       /usr/bin/rsync

cmd_ssh /usr/bin/ssh

cmd_logger      /usr/bin/logger

cmd_du          /usr/bin/du

cmd_rsnapshot_diff      /usr/bin/rsnapshot-diff

retain          daily   7
retain          weekly  4

verbose         2

loglevel        3

logfile /var/log/rsnapshot.log

lockfile        /var/run/rsnapshot.pid

backup  root@localhost:/etc/                   localhost/
backup  root@localhost:/home                   localhost/
backup  root@localhost:/var/www/               localhost/

```

Set Cronjobs For auto backup:

```
# m     h   dom mon dow command
#Run Rsnapshot At 02:00 Everyday
00      02      *       *       *       /usr/bin/rsnapshot daily
#Run Rsnapshot At 06:00 Every Sunday 
00      06      *       *       0       /usr/bin/rsnapshot weekly

```