diff --git a/doc/faq.rst b/doc/faq.rst index 0728d6e82..f3bc9db4e 100644 --- a/doc/faq.rst +++ b/doc/faq.rst @@ -3,6 +3,30 @@ FAQ This is the list of Frequently Asked Questions for restic. +Should I use one repository or separate repositories for multiple hosts? +--------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Restic can store snapshots from multiple hosts in the same repository. The +snapshots keep their host and path metadata, so you can filter and group them +with options such as `--host` and `--group-by`. + +Using one repository for several trusted hosts has two main advantages: data +can be deduplicated across all of those backups, and you only need to maintain +one repository. The trade-off is that repository access is shared: anyone who +has a repository key can access snapshots from that repository, and retention +policies such as `forget` apply to the snapshots stored there. + +Separate repositories provide stronger isolation. Each repository has its own +keys, retention policies, and repository maintenance, which can be useful when +different hosts or users must not have access to each other's backups. The same +data stored in separate repositories cannot be deduplicated across those +repositories. + +As a rule of thumb, use one repository when the hosts share the same trust and +access requirements; use separate repositories when you need isolation between +hosts, users, or backup policies. + + Will restic resume an interrupted backup? -----------------------------------------