It is simply a couple of transparent  find commands.

It would also make a great template for other runs or even uses by other services.

The version below has  modified  comments

see:  /etc/cron.weekly/approx

#!/bin/sh
# /etc/cron.weekly/approx
# Remove old files from the approx(8) cache

# Location of the cache
cache=/var/cache/approx

# Maximum age of files to keep, in days
max_age=1000

# Delete  _files_  modified   +more than "max_age" days ago 
# and _print_ the activity noise to cron so it can tell somebody if needs be.

find $cache -type f -mtime +$max_age -delete -print

# Remove empty files and directories

find $cache -empty -delete

PeteGozz wrote:

Hi
Um yeah lost my password

For future reference . . . all you have to do is ping one of the admins to get a new one.

PeteGozz wrote:

Thought I would/should contribute some tested configs I have here.
The spin offs just from this one could probably fill a small book.

Your contributions are always welcome.  Don't be a stranger . . .

I will try not to be.

Hi
Um yeah lost my password

For future reference . . . all you have to do is ping one of the admins to get a new one.

Your contributions are always welcome.  Don't be a stranger . . .

Thought I would/should contribute some tested configs I have here.
The spin offs just from this one could probably fill a small book.

This approach works reasonably well for my home LAN
AND builds sane mirrors that are amenable to dpkg / apt / file::// 

(system tools)

Features of this approach include::

  - Reliable and _low_ maintenance
  - Small and light
  - efficient enough for enterprise level deployment.
    Should scale up to 100's of LAN clients including virtuals
    (depends on hardware and bandwidth)

  - Tunable access by network space and optionally time of day. (xinetd)
    No need to worry your iptables or other filtering.
  - Tunable system loads. (xinetd)
   
  - A simply structured *pool based mirror*  under /var/cache/approx  (default).
  - Readily and cleanly supports other Debian type systems
    and 3rd party repositories
 
  - Low standby resource demand (xinetd)
  - Fast start up and shutdown. (xinetd)

  - Logs flexibly. To file or syslog. ( approx and / or xinetd )

  - flexible client side configurations

Downsides::

  - For simple use its easier to modify the clients apt sources.list (s)
  - NOT a single apt install (and walk away)
  - _You_ have to create a new config file for xinetd

The Process ::

With *minimal examples*  (for some version of clarity.)

_All network addressing / names etc will need to be adapted to your LAN_.
(so don't just cut and paste)

# apt-get install xinetd approx

1. edit the servers /etc/approx/approx.conf
     (this is a minimal example)
::
   

devuan http://deb.devuan.org/merged 

2. edit a clients /etc/apt/sources.list.d/01-stable.list
    (? disable the rest while you test ?)
    *The client can be the same machine as the server.*
   
::
   

deb http://10.1.1.10:9999/devuan stable  main contrib non-free

3. create xinetd approx service description  file at ::
 
  /etc/xinetd.d/approx

A somewhat more than minimal example.
   
::

   # /etc/xinetd.d/approx
    service approx
    {
    id           = approx
    disable      = no
    bind         = 10.1.1.10    
    port         = 9999
    only_from    = 127.0.0.1/8 10.1.1.1/8 
    protocol     = tcp
    socket_type  = stream
    wait         = no
    user         = approx
    server       = /usr/sbin/approx
    }

4. Restart xinetd

::
   

root@yours~#  /etc/init.d/xinetd  restart

                      (or)

   root@yours~#  service xinetd restart

check xinetd has enabled your new service ::

you@yours~$  netstat -tan | grep 9999

   
A simple test if you have netcat onboard.

you@yours~$  nc 10.1.1.10 9999

        "get foo"

        HTTP/1.1 400 Bad Request
        Server: approx/5.10 Ocamlnet/4.1.2

(yes that *nc get*  is deliberately broken)

 you@yours~$  CTL c 

    to close the "conversation".

5. check default logging (and any errors like the one above)

::

  $ tail -f /var/log/daemonlog

something like: *Nethttpd: Bad request line*

6. simple test from the configured client

::
   

# apt-get update

Operations::

    see:    /var/cache/approx/     (your new pool(s) of packages)
    see:   /var/log/daemon.log    (default logging)
    see:   service xinetd status

References::

    see:  /usr/share/doc/approx/examples
    see:  /usr/share/doc/xinetd/examples
    $ apropos approx
    $ apropos xinetd

Longer Verbose version at::

https://wombatsandemus.blogspot.com/201 … -with.html
(yeah sorry)

ASIDE::

Basic testing and checking of the approx-import tool  seems to be OK.
As do the devuan "passthroughs to debian"  at the repository.
Though this requires another doc or two.