#!/bin/bash
 
## A simple bash script to back up (tar and compress) all files in a folder
 
## name for the backup file based on date
name=file_backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar
 
## directory containing the files to be backed up
directory=/home/fred
 
## where to store backup file - wherever that is?
backup_directory=/root
 
## change to backup directory 
cd $backup_directory
 
## create empty file so tar can create new archive with it
touch empty.txt
 
## create the backup file and remove empty file
tar --create --verbose --remove-files --file=$name empty.txt
 
## archive all files
for file in `ls $directory`
        do
                tar --append --verbose --file=$name $directory/$file 
        done
 
## finally compress the tar file 
gzip $name
 
exit $?