'tbku' is a utility script for producing "tarball" backups of some- or
all of your files. It is useful both for producing incremental backups
or for systemwide images or "snapshots". The script can be run either
from the command line or, more typically, as a cron job to automate
system backup tasks.

The central benefit of using 'tbku' over hand written tar commands is
that 'tbku' is "table driven". You specify the set of files to back up
in a table (a separate file). You can have as many of these "filesets"
as you wish, corresponding to different kinds of backups you want
done. 'tbku' will do backups automatically or manually, based on the
name of the "fileset". This considerably simplifies automating
backups, keeping backup logs, and generally maintaining an orderly
backup environment.

'tbku' can also be used to capture system images which can then
later be used to (re)provision other machines.