All in one backup solution with a GUI

[snailtrails]

I am looking for a docker or plugin that can replace google drive, replace google photos, backup up my windows machines, and unraid shares that includes a GUI. I tend to not touch my server for long periods of time and forget all the CLI commands for each utility, I want to be able set it and forget it. Then when I need it, I don't want to waste time trying to figure out the CLI.

1. Needs an andriod app to sync images like google photos (I am thinking Immich) and allow multiple users (think family) to use it. If someone deletes a photo I want it to go to a "recycle bin" and all changes are synced between devices and the unraid server. It needs to support encryption. Basically do everything google photos can do without giving my data to google. I do want to use google for cloud backups of the images from the unraid server but I want to encrypt the files so google can't read it.

2. Google drive replacement, same criteria as above.

3. Windows backup of files, I guess I could just use windows built in backup tool and save the unraid mapped drives, not a big deal here. The backups are saved to the unraid and then unraid saves them to another server and cloud storage (google) encrypted.

4. Windows image backup for the machines, currently using macrium free but no longer supported. Any other alternatives? The images are saved to the unraid and then unraid saves them to another server and cloud storage (google) encrypted.

5. Unraid share backup, backup to another server, and backup to cloud storage (google) encrypted.

 

 

 

[TimTheSettler]

Your needs were the same as mine and my setup is "set it and forget" other than monitoring it from time to time.

 

Caveats:

• You must spend some time setting all this up for it to be "set and forget".
• No single app does all of what you want but it's possible to do most of it with only a few apps (all apps listed here have a GUI).
• You should have at least two unRAID servers or at least one unRAID server with a backup service like Backblaze or BorgBase.

 

Steps:

1. Create shares on your unRAID server.  Save all personal files to the share(s) on unRAID, not on Windows.  Alternatively you can sync your Windows folders to unRAID (see step #2).
2. Install the Syncthing docker on unRAID server #1 and on all your devices (Windows and Android).
   1. Choose a folder on the device (camera, pictures, documents) and sync them to a folder on unRAID.
3. Install Vorta on unRAID server #1 and create a backup repository for each share (or create one backup repo for a group of or all the shares).
   1. The repo should be on your second unRAID server or the backup service.
   2. Repos are encrypted and deduplicated.
   3. Schedule the backup to run once a day at a certain time.
      1. This will capture changes each day.
      2. Only differences are kept so the repo is small.
      3. You can restore from any point in time (your recycle bin).
4. Install the AppdataBackup plugin to back up your docker containers (and the config for steps #2 and #3).

 

Once you've done all this then whenever you change a file on your desktop computer or take a picture on your phone it will sync to unRAID.  Each night all your files will be backed up.  If you need to restore you can do so as needed.

 

Windows image backups are trickier.  You'll need an app.  I use Paragon backup.  I've used this for 15 years and it's never failed me.  Someone else here might have another (free?) tool for you.  Regardless of what you use, simply dump the image into a shared folder in unRAID and Vorta can back it up.

[TimTheSettler]

Here are some screenshots of Syncthing and Vorta.

 

 

[Zaphragor]

You can go further and place a backup-server at another family-member's home. Then encrypt all data, which is sent to that device.

The family-member could benefit from this as well if you can convince them to also use synchting.

For myself, I did go a step further and encrypt all my personal data to all syncthing-servers. This way no other member can see my personal files, but we can still share the storage and meet very high privacy standards where not even the admin of the storage (or an intruder) could read the data. We can even share specific directories if we share the dedicated encryption-key for that directory. You then need to take care of your phone/pc - security wise - primarily which should be more managable than caring about the server each day. As a bonus: create a script where you stop the syncthing-container and rsync all shares to a USB-backup, which only starts once in a while(via time switch) and is mounted automatically. Then, start the container again, of cause. 

[TimTheSettler]

17 hours ago, Zaphragor said:

You can go further and place a backup-server at another family-member's home.

 

Yes, I forgot to mention that.  All my file servers are in different locations.  Having off-site backup should be a key part of your backup strategy.

 

17 hours ago, Zaphragor said:

I did go a step further and encrypt all my personal data to all syncthing-servers.

 

This is a good option.

 

A slightly less extreme option is to create a personal share for each person in the family and a user ID that for that person.  You can also create a common shared folder so that each user (family member) can access the common stuff but only has access to their own share.  All drives on the server are encrypted so the only person who technically has access to all the data on the server is the server admin.  You can make it so that the server admin does not have access to the shared folders from outside of the unRAID server but has access to the data within the server.  This still gives good protection and makes it a bit easier to recover the data.

[JonathanM]

On 10/3/2024 at 7:37 AM, snailtrails said:

4. Windows image backup for the machines, currently using macrium free but no longer supported. Any other alternatives?

I very successfully use UrBackup. Does both versioned file backups and full images if desired. I've done both image restores and selective folder recoveries over WAN from my remotely located Unraid server hosting the UrBackup container.