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### 5.4 Setting Parameters for Backups and Restoration

The file `backup-specs` specifies backup parameters for the backup and restoration scripts provided with `tar`. You must edit `backup-specs` to fit your system configuration and schedule before using these scripts.

Syntactically, `backup-specs` is a shell script, containing mainly variable assignments. However, any valid shell construct is allowed in this file. Particularly, you may wish to define functions within that script (e.g., see `RESTORE_BEGIN` below). For more information about shell script syntax, please refer to the definition of the Shell Command Language. See also Bash Features in Bash Reference Manual.

The shell variables controlling behavior of `backup` and `restore` are described in the following subsections.