How do you backup your email?

Question

I'm looking for a solution for email backup. Ideally, it would not run on my desktop, it would be server-based solution that connects to my IMAP-based email provider, and saves backup snapshots to cloud-based storage (e.g. Backblaze, S3, etc.) using de-duplication to save space.

jlgaddis · Accepted Answer

> ... server-based solution that connects to my IMAP-based email provider, and saves backup snapshots to cloud-based storage (e.g. Backblaze, S3, etc.) using de-duplication to save space.You could rather quickly and easily write a shell script to:- use offlineimap [0] or imapsync [1] to perform a local sync of your mailbox to local mbox files or maildir directories,- (optionally) use tar or similar to create a single file out of your entire mailbox, and- use tarsnap [1] to back it up (to AWS) or s3cmd [2] or similar to back it up to wherever you want it.I used to do exactly that with an additional step to encrypt the tarball (with GPG) before uploading it. It worked out quite well.---[0]: http://www.offlineimap.org[1]: https://imapsync.lamiral.info[2]: https://www.tarsnap.com[3]: https://s3tools.org/s3cmd

rs23296008n1 · Answer

Some email gets printed out, stuck in various binders, and kept for awhile. Then usually set on fire in a ritualised celebration of the impermanence of reality. This is also known as scheduled secure destruction.The majority of serious email get copied (IMAP or for the email server we run, just sftp) to a pair of DVDs on periodic basis as an encrypted filesystem archive. We then stick it in a dvd swapper drive for offline access. The other copy gets put off site.

quickthrower2 · Answer

Gmail: download via takeout, keep it local, backblaze to backup from local to other server

wheresvic3 · Answer

I just did a write-up on using imapgrab.py :)https://smalldata.tech/blog/2020/04/07/imap-email-backup

howlett · Answer

I use getmail[0] on my rpi. Download everything from gmail and fastmail using IMAP (sync) overnight into a truecrypt container, and then offsite backup to rsync.net. It's also storing everything into an mbox so you can easily import that file anywhere.[0] http://pyropus.ca/software/getmail/

icedchai · Answer

I use gmvault to replicate my personal gmail to my local NAS server on a nightly basis. I also have offsite encrypted backups using restic, also done nightly.

dez_blanchfield · Answer

I wish I could back up to PUNCHED CARD still ;-)

dez_blanchfield · Answer

check out http://metallic.io/ ASAP !!they have an awesome free trial running right now..

gshdg · Answer

POP3 client

akssri · Answer

isync and cron