Getting started
For people who want their data safe and don’t want to become backup experts. About ten minutes from install to your first tested backup.
The idea in one minute
BackupProof copies your important things to a safe place on a schedule. Then it tests that the copies actually work: it restores them somewhere safe and checks everything is there. Only then does it show Restore tested. Every backup and every test is recorded in a way that can’t be secretly changed, and you can download that record for an auditor, a customer or yourself.
| On the dashboard | What it means |
|---|---|
| Protected | The things you back up, like “Documents” or “Shop website”. |
| Storage | Where the copies are kept: a disk, Backblaze B2, Amazon S3 and so on. |
| Servers | The machines whose data you protect. The one running the dashboard is already there as This server. |
Install the dashboard
Paste one line into a terminal on the machine that will run the dashboard. On Linux or Mac open Terminal; on Windows right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin). The commands are on the Install page.
When it finishes, it shows the address of your dashboard and a setup code. Open the address in your browser, type the code, and create your admin account. You only need the code once.
Protect something
Click Protect something and answer four questions.
- Which server? Usually This server.
- What? Folders, a website or a database. BackupProof lists what it found on the server, so you can just tick boxes. For a WordPress site it finds the database and its login. For a database in Docker it reads the login from the container, so you don’t type any passwords.
- Where? Pick a storage or add one: an external disk, or Backblaze B2, Amazon S3, Cloudflare R2 or Wasabi with your keys and bucket name. Click Test connection to make sure it works.
- How often? “Every night” with “test a restore every week” suits most people.
Keep the recovery kit. When you add storage, BackupProof creates an encryption password for it. Download the recovery kit and keep it somewhere safe, like a password manager or a printed copy in a drawer. Without it, nobody can open the backups, including you.
Click Protect now. The first backup runs straight away and is restore-tested as soon as it finishes. After a minute or so you should see Restore tested.
Add your other servers
Open Servers, choose Connect a server, pick Linux, Mac or Windows and copy the line shown. Paste it into a terminal on the other server (on Windows, as Administrator). It appears in the dashboard within a minute. The line works once and expires after an hour.
Already have backups made by another tool? You can bring them in so they’re tested too.
What the colours mean
| Status | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Restore tested | The latest restore test passed recently. | Nothing. |
| Not tested yet | Backed up, but no restore test has passed yet. | Click Test restore. |
| Needs attention | The last good test is too old, or a backup is late. | Check the server is on, then click Back up now. |
| Problem | The last backup or restore test failed. | Open the item to see what went wrong. |
Get told when something’s wrong
Under Settings, add an email address or a Slack, Discord or Mattermost webhook. BackupProof also warns you about things that didn’t happen: a backup that’s late, a proof that’s getting old, or a server that has gone quiet.
Three golden rules
- Save the recovery kit for every storage. No password means no restore.
- Keep one copy away from the server itself: in the cloud or in another building.
- Trust the green tick, not “backup finished”. BackupProof only shows it after a real restore test.