Update README.md

README.md

@@ -1,44 +1,53 @@
 # Mikes Backup
-A simple python script utilizing rsync for both full and differential backups, and auto folder naming, over SSH
+Easily run both *full* and *differential* backups with rsync, to a local folder or an SSH server.
 
-Honestly this is more of a wrapper around rsync's beautiful functionality. It simply makes daily backups slightly easier by:
+This script is really just a wrapper around rsync's beautiful functionality. It presents a simplified interface for one very narrow use case: Simplifying the process of running daily backups:
-* Automatically choosing a *full* or *differential* backup type, based on whether it detects an existing *full* backup folder at the remote end
+* You may easily force a *full* of *differential* backup type with a simple command line argument (see below)
-* Automatically generate a folder based on today's date and time, so you can generate a great many *differential* backup folders without manually changing anything
+* Otherwise, it will automatically choose a *full* or *differential* backup type, based on whether it detects an existing *full* backup folder at the backup destination
+* For *differential* backups, it automatically generates a folder based on today's date and time, making it easier to store many differentials without the need to manually fuss with anything
 
 ## Requirements
 * rsync
 * python3
-* Backup server accessible over SSH
+* Backup destination accessible as a local directory OR a remote SSH server
-
-## Assumptions
-* Your backup destination is an SSH server
 
 ## Command Line Arguments
 * ```--full``` Forces the script to run a *full* backup
 * ```--differential``` Forces the script to run a *differential* backup
 * ```--log-dir <directory>``` Let's you set the log output directory
 * ```--source-dir <directory>``` Specifies the local source directory
-* ```--remote-host <hostname>``` Specifies the remote host, to send the backups to over ssh
+* ```--destination-dir <directory>``` Specifies the backup destination directory
-* ```--remote-user <username>``` Specifies the remote username to use, when connecting to the remote host
+* ```--remote-host <hostname>``` Specifies the remote host, if your backup destination is an SSH server
-* ```--remote-dir <directory>``` Specifies the remote backup destination directory
+* ```--remote-user <username>``` Specifies the remote username to use, if your backup destination is an SSH server
-* ```--ssh-key <path to key>``` Specifies the local ssh key to use for authentication
+* ```--ssh-key <path to key>``` Specifies the local SSH key to use for authentication, if your backup destination is an SSH server
 * ```--exclude <dir>``` Specifies a source directory to exclude (can be passed multiple times)
 
+Note that ```--remote-host```, ```--remote-user```, and ```--ssh-key``` are only needed if your backup destination is a remote SSH server. You may omit all three if the destination is a locally mounted folder.
+
 ##  Example
 For daily use, you'll probably want to create a small bash script that calls this script with the parameters you want, and then call that with cron daily (or whatever your preference is)
 ```
 #!/bin/bash
 
+# Backup to an SSH server
 /path/to/mikes-backup \
-  --log-dir "/my/log/dir" \
+  --log-dir "/my/log/dir/my-awesome-host-logs/" \
-  --source-dir "/home/or/whatever" \
+  --source-dir "/home/or/whatever/" \
+  --destination-dir "/path/to/backup/destination/" \
   --remote-host "my-awesome-host.home" \
-  --remote-user "me" \
+  --remote-user "my-remote-user" \
-  --remote-dir "/path/to/backup/destination/on/remote/" \
   --ssh-key "/home/me/.ssh/id_rsa" \
   --exclude "/my/dumb/downloads" \
   --exclude "/my/even/dumber/downloads"
 
+# Backup to a local folder
+/path/to/mikes-backup \
+  --log-dir "/my/log/dir/local-backups/" \
+  --source-dir "/home/or/whatever/" \
+  --destination-dir "/local/path/to/backup/destination/" \
+  --exclude "/my/dumb/downloads" \
+  --exclude "/my/even/dumber/downloads"
+
 ```
 
 ## Questions