In the ever-evolving world of technology, I find myself constantly experimenting with different operating systems and devices. While this is exciting, it also presents a challenge: data protection and availability. Losing important files due to hardware failure, accidental deletion, or even system corruption is not an option. So, I decided to build a robust backup system that ensures my data is safe, accessible, and redundant.

My Setup: A Diverse Ecosystem

I primarily use two laptops and a smartphone:

• Primary Device: A Lenovo ThinkPad T480 running Arch Linux with Hyperland.
• Secondary Device: A MacBook Air M1 for additional workflows.
• Mobile Companion: An Android smartphone.

Since I work with multiple operating systems and enjoy tinkering with different devices, having a well-structured backup strategy became crucial. I needed a solution that would allow seamless synchronization and reliable backup without unnecessary complexity.

The Backup Server: The Heart of My System

To centralize my backups, I repurposed an old laptop with two hard drives and turned it into a dedicated backup server. This machine runs Syncthing, a fantastic open-source tool that enables seamless file synchronization across my devices. The best part? Syncthing works locally and remotely without requiring router port forwarding, thanks to its relay feature.

Midnight Mirroring with Duplicati

To ensure that even my synchronized data is protected, I run Duplicati on my backup server. Every night at midnight, Duplicati takes a snapshot of all synced files and backs them up to the second hard disk. This way, even if files get accidentally modified or deleted, I have a reliable version stored securely.

On-Site Backup: A Second Layer of Protection

Since I spend most of my time at university, relying solely on my home backup server wasn’t enough. I needed an on-site backup solution that would be available on my primary device – my ThinkPad T480. So, I added a dedicated NVMe SSD to my laptop’s WWAN slot using an M.2 NVMe M-Key / M2 SATA B+M Key 2230 to 2242 Extension Adapter Card Converter. This additional drive now serves as my on-the-go backup storage.

To manage this backup effectively, I use:

• Timeshift – for system snapshots, ensuring I can revert my OS in case of major issues.
• Pika Backup – for user data, keeping my important files safe and easily restorable.

A Backup System That Works

With this multi-layered approach, I now have a system that covers all bases:

• Local backups on my ThinkPad for immediate recovery.
• Synced data across all my devices via Syncthing.
• Remote backup server storing multiple snapshots via Duplicati.

By implementing this strategy, I’ve built a reliable, automated, and secure backup solution that keeps my data safe while I focus on my work. If you haven’t set up a proper backup system yet, consider taking steps to safeguard your data today. As the old saying goes:

"There are two types of people: those who have lost data and those who will."

Which one will you be?

🔗 Related Posts

• My Self-Hosting Journey — Curious how I turned an old laptop into a reliable home server that powers this entire backup system?
• My Linux Journey — This backup setup wouldn’t exist without my dive into Linux — here’s how it all started.