Last updated: July 16, 2022 | Reading time: 5 minutes

My Proxmox Backup Strategy: Local + Cloud Protection

Table of Contents

• Hardware Configuration
• Local Backup Setup
• Cloud Sync with Backblaze B2
• Automation & Scheduling
• Restoration Process
• Cost Analysis
• Lessons Learned

In this post, I’ll walk you through my Proxmox backup strategy that combines local storage with cloud backup for maximum data protection. This setup ensures quick recovery from local storage while maintaining an offsite copy for disaster recovery.

Hardware Configuration

Primary Storage

• 4 x 500GB SSDs in ZFS RAID-10 configuration
  • Total usable space: ~930GB
  • Excellent read/write performance for VM operations
  • Data redundancy with mirroring

Backup Storage

• Windows 10 PC with 4TB HDD
  • Dedicated share for Proxmox backups
  • Additional storage for ISO files and templates
  • Scheduled maintenance windows for backup operations

Local Backup Setup

Windows Share Configuration

1. Created a dedicated user account for Proxmox backups
2. Set up SMB share with appropriate permissions
3. Configured Proxmox to use the share for:
   • Daily VM/CT backups
   • ISO storage
   • Template storage

Backup Retention Policy

• Daily Backups: Kept for 7 days
• Weekly Backups: Kept for 4 weeks
• Monthly Backups: Kept for 3 months

Cloud Sync with Backblaze B2

Why Backblaze B2?

• Cost-effective cloud storage ($0.005/GB/month)
• No minimum storage duration fees
• Free egress (data download) up to 3x monthly average storage
• Reliable infrastructure with 99.9% uptime

Sync Configuration

• Using rclone for encrypted backup sync
• Client-side encryption for sensitive data
• Bandwidth throttling to prevent network congestion
• Email notifications for sync status

Automation & Scheduling

Proxmox Backup Jobs

# Example backup job for all VMs
vzdump 100 101 102 --compress zstd --mode snapshot --storage win10_backup --mailto [email protected]

Windows Task Scheduler

• Runs rclone sync command nightly
• Logs all operations to a dedicated file
• Sends email notifications on completion/failure

Restoration Process

Local Restoration

1. Access Proxmox web interface
2. Navigate to local storage
3. Select backup and click “Restore”
4. Configure VM settings as needed

Cloud Restoration

1. Download backup from Backblaze B2
2. Decrypt if using client-side encryption
3. Upload to Proxmox storage
4. Restore using web interface

Cost Analysis

Lessons Learned

What Worked Well

• ZFS RAID-10 provides excellent performance
• Local backups are fast for quick recovery
• Backblaze B2 is cost-effective for offsite storage
• Automation reduces manual intervention

Challenges & Solutions

1. Initial sync was slow

   • Solution: Performed initial backup locally, then moved offsite

2. Permission issues with Windows share

   • Solution: Created dedicated backup user with appropriate permissions

3. Storage space management

   • Solution: Implemented strict retention policies

4. Bandwidth usage

   • Solution: Scheduled backups during off-peak hours

Future Improvements

• Implement backup verification scripts
• Add monitoring for backup success/failure
• Consider using Proxmox Backup Server
• Explore incremental backup options

Have questions about my setup or want to share your own backup strategy? Leave a comment below!

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