diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index ead8397..396b864 100755
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ backup_cron_owner: "{{ backup_owner }}"
 backup_server_remote_prune_time: 6
 backup_server_remote_backup_time: 8
 backup_server_local_prune_time: 10
+#server: clients to prune/mirror (defaults to backup_clients), apps not mirrored locally, local compression
+backup_server_clients: "{{ backup_clients }}"
+backup_server_local_skip: []
+backup_server_compression: lzma
+#local mirror of the remote repositories (defaults to <backup_root>/storage/remote-backups)
+#backup_server_mirror: /mnt/nas/backup/mirror
 
 
 backup_script:
diff --git a/tasks/server.yml b/tasks/server.yml
index 9ac0f60..eb13a7d 100644
--- a/tasks/server.yml
+++ b/tasks/server.yml
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
     group: "{{ backup_group }}"
     mode: "0750"
   loop:
-    - "{{ backup_remotes_folder }}"
+    - "{{ backup_server_mirror | default(backup_remotes_folder) }}"
     - "{{ backup_location }}/{{ backup_app }}"
 
 - name: setup borg local repository
diff --git a/templates/opt/backup/inst/cloud-server-backup.j2 b/templates/opt/backup/inst/cloud-server-backup.j2
index fa45d60..bb0ded4 100644
--- a/templates/opt/backup/inst/cloud-server-backup.j2
+++ b/templates/opt/backup/inst/cloud-server-backup.j2
@@ -1,18 +1,22 @@
+{% set server_clients = backup_server_clients | default(backup_clients) %}
 #!/bin/bash
 
 BORGUSER="{{ backup_owner }}";
 TARGETFOLDER="{{ backup_remotes_folder }}";
 LOCALREPOLOCATION="{{ backup_location }}/{{ backup_app }}";
-APPLIST="{{ backup_clients | json_query('*.app') | join(' ') }}";
+APPLIST="{{ server_clients | json_query('*.app') | join(' ') }}";
+# repos that are only pruned remotely, not mirrored locally
+LOCALAPPLIST="{{ server_clients | json_query('*.app') | difference(backup_server_local_skip) | join(' ') }}";
+MIRRORFOLDER="{{ backup_server_mirror | default(backup_remotes_folder) }}";
 
 declare -A BORG_CLIENT_MAP
-{% for client in backup_clients %}
-BORG_CLIENT_MAP[{{ backup_clients[client].app }}]="{{ client }}";
+{% for client in server_clients %}
+BORG_CLIENT_MAP[{{ server_clients[client].app }}]="{{ client }}";
 {% endfor %}
 
 declare -A BORG_USER_MAP
-{% for client in backup_clients %}
-BORG_USER_MAP[{{ backup_clients[client].app }}]="{{ backup_clients[client].owner }}";
+{% for client in server_clients %}
+BORG_USER_MAP[{{ server_clients[client].app }}]="{{ server_clients[client].owner }}";
 {% endfor %}
 
 
@@ -36,8 +40,8 @@ COMMAND:
 
 
 APPS:                               A single app or comma-separated (sub-)set of below listed apps to be considered.
-{% for client in backup_clients %}
-    - {{ backup_clients[client].app }}
+{% for client in server_clients %}
+    - {{ server_clients[client].app }}
 {% endfor %}
 ";
 }
@@ -177,25 +181,24 @@ local_prune () {
 
 local_backup () {
     ARCHIVENAME="{{ backup_app }}-$(date '+%s')";
-    mkdir -p $TARGETFOLDER/$ARCHIVENAME;
-    chown $BORGUSER: $TARGETFOLDER/$ARCHIVENAME;
-    for APP in $APPLIST;
+    mkdir -p $MIRRORFOLDER;
+    chown $BORGUSER: $MIRRORFOLDER;
+    # keep a persistent mirror so rsync only transfers what changed
+    for APP in $LOCALAPPLIST;
     do
         sudo -H -u $BORGUSER bash -c '
-        TARGETFOLDER='$TARGETFOLDER';
-        ARCHIVENAME='$ARCHIVENAME';
+        MIRRORFOLDER='$MIRRORFOLDER';
         REPOLOCATION='${BORG_CLIENT_MAP[$APP]}':'$APP';
-        rsync -azr $REPOLOCATION $TARGETFOLDER/$ARCHIVENAME/;';
+        rsync -ar --delete $REPOLOCATION $MIRRORFOLDER/;';
     done
 
+    # borg repositories are encrypted already, compression rarely helps
     sudo -H -u $BORGUSER bash -c '
-    TARGETFOLDER='$TARGETFOLDER';
+    MIRRORFOLDER='$MIRRORFOLDER';
     REPOLOCATION='$LOCALREPOLOCATION';
     ARCHIVENAME='$ARCHIVENAME';
     export BORG_PASSPHRASE=$(cat {{ backup_home }}/.borg.key);
-    borg create -C lzma $REPOLOCATION::$ARCHIVENAME $TARGETFOLDER/$ARCHIVENAME;';
-
-    rm -rf $TARGETFOLDER/$ARCHIVENAME;
+    borg create -C {{ backup_server_compression }} $REPOLOCATION::$ARCHIVENAME $MIRRORFOLDER;';
 }
 
 local_delete () {