We are - creating git-annex repositories by minting annex keys based on metadata (size, filename extension, checksum) which we share on https://github.com/dandisets/ and https://github.com/dandizarrs . - back them up as a tandem of annex get following by annex move --to=backup commands.

That results - temporarily first fully populate those datasets (could be TBs in size) - for every annexed key to have two commits to adjust the state of that key in git-annex branch -- first to announce local availability and then that it moved to another remote

Ideally I would have loved if I could just say something like git annex copy --from=someremote --to=backup . or even better just smth like git annex copy --auto-get --to=backup . and ensure that - we get the file before moving it to backup - we do not bother recording in git-annex that the file ever existed locally

NB may be some annex sync would do that magic?

implemented --Joey