diff --git a/compute/backup/manage-backups.py b/compute/backup/manage-backups.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..2f0b45db18c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compute/backup/manage-backups.py
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright (C) 2016 Google Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""Example of using the Compute Engine API to manage a set of rolling
+disk snapshots.
+
+./manage-backups.py  --disk <disk1>,<zone1> \
+    --disk <disk2>,<zone2> \
+    --project <project>
+
+"""
+
+import argparse
+import datetime
+import json
+import re
+import sys
+
+from googleapiclient import discovery
+import iso8601
+from oauth2client.client import GoogleCredentials
+import pytz
+
+
+DISK_ZONE_MAP = {}
+
+
+def list_snapshots(compute, project, filter=None, pageToken=None):
+    return compute.snapshots().list(
+        project=project, pageToken=pageToken, filter=filter).execute()
+
+
+def should_snapshot(items, minimum_delta):
+    """Given a list of snapshot items, return True if a snapshot should be
+    taken, False if not.
+    """
+    sorted_items = items[:]
+    sorted_items.sort(key=lambda x: x['creationTimestamp'])
+    sorted_items.reverse()
+
+    now = datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc)
+    created = iso8601.parse_date(sorted_items[0]['creationTimestamp'])
+
+    if now > created + minimum_delta:
+        return True
+
+    return False
+
+
+def deletable_items(items):
+    """Given a list of snapshot items, return the snapshots than can be
+    deleted.
+    """
+    _items = items[:]
+    _items.sort(key=lambda x: x['creationTimestamp'])
+    _items.reverse()
+
+    result = []
+    now = datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc)
+    one_week = datetime.timedelta(days=7)
+    three_months = datetime.timedelta(weeks=13)
+    one_year = datetime.timedelta(weeks=52)
+    minimum_number = 1
+
+    # Strategy: look for a reason not to delete. If none found,
+    # add to list.
+
+    # Global reasons
+
+    if len(items) < minimum_number:
+        print('Fewer than {} snapshots, not deleting any'.format(
+            minimum_number))
+        return result
+
+    # Item-specific reasons
+
+    for item in _items[1:]: #always skip newest snapshot
+
+        item_timestamp = iso8601.parse_date(item['creationTimestamp'])
+        snapshot_age = now - item_timestamp
+
+        if snapshot_age < one_week:
+            print('Snapshot "{}" too new, not deleting.'.format(item['name']))
+            continue
+
+        if item_timestamp.weekday() == 1 and snapshot_age < three_months:
+            message = 'Snapshot "{}" is weekly timestamp and too new,'
+            message += ' not deleting.'
+            print(message.format(item['name']))
+            continue
+
+        if item_timestamp.day == 1 and snapshot_age < one_year:
+            message = 'Snapshot "{}" is monthly timestamp and too new,'
+            message += ' not deleting.'
+            print(message.format(item['name']))
+            continue
+
+        print('Adding snapshot "{}" to the delete list'.format(item['name']))
+        result.append(item)
+
+    return result
+
+
+def create_snapshot(compute, project, disk, dry_run):
+    now = datetime.datetime.now(pytz.utc)
+    name = '{}-{}'.format(disk, now.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'))
+    zone = zone_from_disk(disk)
+    print('Creating snapshot "{}" in zone "{}"'.format(disk, zone))
+
+    if not dry_run:
+        result = compute.disks().createSnapshot(project=project, disk=disk,
+            body={'name':name}, zone=zone).execute()
+
+
+def delete_snapshots(compute, project, snapshots, dry_run):
+    for snapshot in snapshots:
+        print('Deleting snapshot "{}"'.format(snapshot['name']))
+
+        if not dry_run:
+            result = compute.snapshots().delete(project=project,
+                snapshot=snapshot['name']).execute()
+
+
+def zone_from_disk(disk):
+    return DISK_ZONE_MAP[disk]
+
+
+def update_snapshots(compute, project, disk, dry_run):
+
+    filter = 'name eq {}-[0-9]{{4}}-[0-9]{{2}}-[0-9]{{2}}'.format(disk)
+    result = list_snapshots(compute, project, filter=filter)
+
+    if not result.has_key('items'):
+        message = 'Disk "{}" has no snapshots.'
+        message += ' Possibly it\'s new or you have a typo.'
+        print(message.format(disk))
+        snapshot_p = True
+        items_to_delete = []
+    else:
+        snapshot_p = should_snapshot(result['items'],
+            datetime.timedelta(days=1))
+        items_to_delete = deletable_items(result['items'])
+
+    if snapshot_p:
+        create_snapshot(compute, project, disk, dry_run)
+
+    if len(items_to_delete):
+        delete_snapshots(compute, project, items_to_delete, dry_run)
+
+
+def main(args):
+
+    disks = []
+    for diskzone in args.disk:
+        disk, zone = diskzone.split(',')
+        DISK_ZONE_MAP[disk] = zone
+        disks.append(disk)
+
+    credentials = GoogleCredentials.get_application_default()
+    compute = discovery.build('compute', 'v1', credentials=credentials)
+    project = args.project
+
+    for disk in disks:
+        update_snapshots(compute, project, disk, args.dry_run)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description=__doc__)
+    parser.add_argument('--dry-run',
+        help='Show what actions would be run, but don\'t actually run them.',
+        action='store_true')
+    parser.add_argument('--project', help='GCE project.', required=True)
+    parser.add_argument('--disk', help='Disk and zone, comma-separated.',
+                        action='append', required=True)
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    for diskzone in args.disk:
+        try:
+            diskzone.index(',')
+        except ValueError:
+            message = 'Disk "{}" has no comma.  Should be <disk,zone>.'
+            print(message.format(disk))
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+    main(args)
diff --git a/compute/requirements.txt b/compute/requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..89a6fd84a53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compute/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+google-api-python-client==1.5.1
+iso8601==0.1.11
+rfc3339==5
+pytz==2014.7