---
title: Backup Architecture
description: Reference backup architecture for self-hosted services, data, and infrastructure components
tags:
  - backup
  - architecture
  - self-hosting
category: systems
created: 2026-03-14
updated: 2026-03-14
---

# Backup Architecture

## Summary

A backup architecture defines what is protected, where copies live, and how recovery is validated. In self-hosted environments, the architecture must account for application data, infrastructure configuration, and the operational steps needed to restore service safely.

## Why it matters

Many backup failures are architectural rather than tool-specific. Storing copies on the wrong system, skipping configuration, or never testing restores can make an otherwise successful backup job useless during an incident.

## Core concepts

- Multiple copies across different failure domains
- Separation of live storage, backup storage, and off-site retention
- Consistent backups for databases and stateful services
- Restore validation as part of the architecture

## Practical usage

A practical backup architecture usually includes:

- Host or VM backups for infrastructure nodes
- File or repository backups for application data
- Separate backup of configuration, Compose files, and DNS or proxy settings
- Off-site encrypted copy of critical repositories

Example model:

```text
Primary workloads -> Local backup repository -> Off-site encrypted copy
Infrastructure config -> Git + encrypted secret store -> off-site mirror
```

## Best practices

- Back up both data and the metadata needed to use it
- Keep at least one copy outside the main site or storage domain
- Use backup tooling that supports verification and restore inspection
- Make restore order and dependency assumptions explicit

## Pitfalls

- Treating snapshots as the only backup mechanism
- Backing up encrypted data without preserving key recovery paths
- Assuming application consistency without database-aware handling
- Skipping restore drills for high-value services

## References

- [restic documentation](https://restic.readthedocs.io/en/latest/)
- [BorgBackup documentation](https://borgbackup.readthedocs.io/en/stable/)
- [Proxmox VE Backup and Restore](https://pve.proxmox.com/pve-docs/chapter-vzdump.html)