System Log #5: "Better" backups

Currently I back up my server every once and a while by manually running this script:

#!/bin/sh

ssh root@smlavine.com tar cf - /var /usr /sbin /bin /opt /root /home /etc /bin /lib

which I then redirect to a file named something like bluebackup.2022-04-15.tar. Beyond the questionable use of SSH, this has two main drawbacks:

• It relies on logging in as root, so every time I want to back up my server I have to first log in as a normal user, su to root, and edit my sshd config to temporarily allow root login. Then disable it again once the backup is over.
• There is no schedule to the backups; I only make one when I think to do so and have the time.