remote server backup script

Hi,

I'm not good at programming, but was wondering if there was a script already created, or any howto on backing up.

This is what I want to do.

Basically there's a file server at a clients location. I would like to have selected directories and files(that I choose) to be backed up only when changed (incremental).

then I would like it tared(or any other compression) and either put into a folder named after todays date(or the tarred files name reflect the name).

anddddddd then, finally, needs to be sftp'ed into our server over the internet.

and hopefully email us of the status of the transfer(I.E. when succesful or if failed).

I hope someone can help me with this, Thanks in advance.

I am thinking I need to setup a script with a cron job(like a few on the net), and then run another cron job to run a program like logrotate(like apache log rotator). and then another cron job to email us.

I don't know, I think I know the theory, just looking for a script or an easier way to do this.

Thanks again in advance :-)