[tahoe-lafs-trac-stream] [Tahoe-LAFS] #2919: Encourage folks to use a third-party backup tool with Tahoe-LAFS integration instead of `tahoe backup`

[Tahoe-LAFS]

#2919: Encourage folks to use a third-party backup tool with Tahoe-LAFS
integration instead of `tahoe backup`
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 Reporter:  exarkun            |          Owner:
     Type:  enhancement        |         Status:  new
 Priority:  normal             |      Milestone:  undecided
Component:  code-frontend-cli  |        Version:  1.12.1
 Keywords:  tahoe-backup docs  |  Launchpad Bug:
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 There are many backup tools for all major platforms.  Many of them are
 quite good (support sophisticated backup scenarios, have good user
 experience, good failure recovery, good documentation, active and ongoing
 development, etc).  Compared to many of these, `tahoe backup` is
 primitive, unreliable, and difficult to use.

 I have no doubt that continued development on `tahoe backup` *could* turn
 it into a world-class backup tool.  However, I have some doubts about
 whether there is any compelling reason to invest these resources in
 application development that's not core to the privacy and security goals
 of Tahoe-LAFS.

 Instead, what seems reasonable, is that efforts could be focused on
 integrating Tahoe-LAFS into one or more of these existing tools to provide
 a high-quality (private, secure, distributed, available) storage engine to
 complement the existing backup application functionality they already
 provide.

 This allows Tahoe-LAFS development efforts to primarily focus on Tahoe-
 LAFS core values and backup application development efforts to focus on
 backup functionality - the best of both worlds.

 Therefore, identify a major backup tool with an extensible storage engine
 (for each major platform) and update the `tahoe backup` documentation to
 refer users to those tools.  If users meet with success in their use of
 these tools, consider eventually deprecating `tahoe backup` entirely (with
 an eye toward removing it and the corresponding maintenance burden).

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Ticket URL: <https://tahoe-lafs.org/trac/tahoe-lafs/ticket/2919>
Tahoe-LAFS <https://Tahoe-LAFS.org>
secure decentralized storage