diff --git a/varbackup.sh b/varbackup.sh
index e645014..5cadc7c 100755
--- a/varbackup.sh
+++ b/varbackup.sh
@@ -1,18 +1,41 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+Help()
+{
+   # Display Help
+   echo "create a rotating backup of the var folder"
+   echo
+   echo "Syntax: varbackup [-h|s]"
+   echo "options:"
+   echo "h     Print this Help."
+   echo "s     Silent mode."
+   echo
+}
+
+while getopts ":hs" option; do
+   case $option in
+      h) # display Help
+         Help
+         exit;;
+      s) # enable silent mode
+         isSilent=true;;
+   esac
+done
+
+# main program
 currDir="$(pwd)/backup/var/"
 
 if [ ! -d "$currDir" ]; then
-  echo "creating backup directory ${currDir}";
+  [ -z ${isSilent} ] && echo "creating backup directory ${currDir}"
   mkdir -p "${currDir}" 
 fi
 
 if [ ! -f "${currDir}../rotatemap_var.conf" ]; then
-  echo "creating config file"
+  [ -z ${isSilent} ] && echo "creating config file"
   printf "${currDir}var.tar.gz {\nrotate 100\n}" > ${currDir}/../rotatemap_var.conf
 fi
 
-echo "pack var directory"
+[ -z ${isSilent} ] && echo "pack var directory"
 tar -cf ${currDir}var.new.tar ./var;
 
 if [ ! -f "${currDir}var.tar" ] || [ "$(cmp ${currDir}var.tar ${currDir}var.new.tar)" ]; then
@@ -23,4 +46,4 @@ else
   rm ${currDir}var.new.tar
 fi
 
-echo "finished"
+[ -z ${isSilent} ] && echo "finished"