The Tool Desk
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Why a ZimaOS NAS still needs a backup
A NAS is convenient storage, not an automatic safety net. ZimaOS itself cautions that RAID is not a backup. RAID can keep the NAS operating when one or more member drives fail, depending on the RAID level and the number of failed drives it can tolerate. It does not provide an independent copy when someone deletes a folder, ransomware encrypts the share, a power event damages the enclosure, or the entire NAS is stolen or destroyed by fire.
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The practical goal is the 3-2-1 rule:
- Three copies of the photos, including the live library.
- Two media types, such as the NAS disks plus a USB hard drive.
- One copy off-site, normally in cloud storage or at another physical location.
Copies should be scheduled rather than made only after a scare. ZimaOS Backup can run independent tasks, resume interrupted transfers and maintain versioned copies, so you can keep a recent local restore point while sending another copy off-site at a cadence your upload connection can handle.
How to back up folders with ZimaOS Backup
The following procedure backs up ordinary folders stored on the NAS. It also forms the filesystem part of an Immich backup, but Immich users must complete the database steps in the next section as well.
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- Open Backup. In ZimaOS, open the Backup app and select Add new backup.
- Choose the source. Select Zima for folders stored on the NAS. The app also lists Cloud, LAN and USB as possible source types; those are useful when a source library already resides in one of those locations.
- Select the photo folders. Choose every folder that contains originals and any surrounding directory structure you need for a straightforward restore. Selecting the complete relevant directory structure is the least error-prone option when you are unsure which subfolders an application uses.
- Choose a destination. ZimaOS can write to a separate local disk, another Zima device, an external USB drive or cloud storage. The destination must not be merely another folder on the same physical disk set as the live library.
- Set a schedule. Create a local task that runs often enough for the amount of new material your household creates. Add a separate off-site task and choose a less frequent schedule if uploading every change would consume too much bandwidth. Separate tasks let the local copy remain current even when the internet link is slow or unavailable.
- Allow the first run to finish. The initial transfer can be large. ZimaOS documents resume and fault tolerance for interrupted transfers, so a temporary network or power interruption does not necessarily require starting over.
- Perform a test restore. Restore one image to a temporary location, open it, and confirm that it is intact. Repeat the test after changing the backup design or replacing the destination disk.
When a USB disk is not being updated, keep it physically separate from the NAS if practical. Disconnecting or storing it away limits the damage from a single power event and makes it harder for ransomware on the NAS to reach every copy. Reconnect it for its scheduled task or for a manual run, then safely remove it after the task completes.
What to back up when the library is in Immich
Immich has two different kinds of data: the original files and a PostgreSQL database that describes how those files are organized in the application. A complete recovery requires both. Immich does not scan a restored library folder and reconstruct the database, so copying only images and videos can leave albums, edits, users and other metadata unusable.
1. Create a consistent database dump
Before copying an Immich installation, use Immich’s supported database-backup process to create a PostgreSQL dump. Treat that dump as part of the same restore point as the filesystem copy. If the database is dumped at one time and the originals are copied much later, recently imported files may not match the metadata recorded in the dump.
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2. Copy the original files
In Immich’s default storage layout, the important paths below the UPLOAD_LOCATION directory are:
UPLOAD_LOCATION/library— the managed library containing uploaded originals.UPLOAD_LOCATION/upload— incoming or uploaded media that is part of the installation’s file set.UPLOAD_LOCATION/profile— profile images used by the installation.
Backing up all of UPLOAD_LOCATION is simpler than trying to maintain a hand-picked list. Thumbnails and encoded video are generated content. They can be regenerated after a restore, although keeping them saves the processing time required to recreate them.
3. Keep the database and files together in retention
A versioned filesystem copy without a matching database version is not a dependable Immich restore point. Retain the dump and the corresponding original folders together, with a clear date or task version, so you can select one coherent set after a failure. The database is small compared with video files, but it is just as important to the usability of the library.
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Does an Immich external library count as a backup?
No. An Immich external library indexes files that already live somewhere else; it does not duplicate those originals. If the disk or share containing that external library fails, Immich’s database retains references and metadata but cannot recreate the missing files.
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Back up the external-library source folder independently with ZimaOS Backup or another reliable system. For an archive that should never be changed by Immich, mount the source read-only with :ro. Read-only access prevents accidental modification or deletion. Use write access only when you deliberately need Immich to make changes to that source.
When restoring, recover the source folder first, recreate the host-to-container mount path exactly as it was, restore the database, and then run an external-library scan. If the mount path changes, the database’s recorded paths may no longer point to the restored files even though the files themselves are present.
Choosing destinations for the second and third copies
No destination is best for every household. The important distinction is whether it is independent of the NAS, how quickly it can be restored, and whether it can hold both Immich’s database dump and original files.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separate USB hard drive | Local | Independent when unplugged and stored away | ZimaOS Backup can maintain scheduled, versioned copies; retention is the policy you configure | Usually the quickest local option because it does not depend on an internet download | Choose capacity above the current library plus expected growth; recurring service cost is not required | Can hold the database dump and originals if both are selected |
| Another Zima device or NAS | Local or a second physical site | Independent when it has separate disks, power and location | Use a separate scheduled task and the retention available in your backup configuration | Convenient on a local network; speed depends on the network and devices | Expansion depends on the second system; any hardware or power cost is separate from the backup software | Can capture both components when the source selections include them |
| Cloud storage | Off-site | Independent of a household NAS and its local hazards | Use the versioning and retention offered by the configured destination and ZimaOS task | Recovery depends on the available download bandwidth and the amount of data | Ongoing storage and transfer charges vary by provider and are not stated here | Can contain the database dump and originals, but verify that the selected cloud task includes both |
A local USB disk is a practical second copy, not a complete plan by itself. Add an off-site copy and test both. If the same person keeps the USB disk permanently attached beside the NAS, a single electrical event, theft or ransomware incident can still remove both copies.
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How much storage should the backup drive have?
Capacity must cover the current photo and video library, the database dump, and future growth. A drive that is already nearly full cannot preserve useful history when the next import arrives. Leave headroom for versioned copies because retaining several points in time consumes more space than keeping one mirror.
The search phrase 4TB USB external hard drive is a reasonable starting point for comparing capacities, and a 4TB USB drive is commonly marketed for high-resolution photos and video. Do not treat 4TB as a universal answer: measure the folders you actually need to protect, add expected growth, and account for the retention window. If that total approaches the drive’s usable capacity, choose a larger device or reduce retention only after deciding which older versions you can safely lose.
Recovery procedure after a failed NAS
Recovery is easier when the backup preserves the same paths and includes a tested database dump. Work from the newest backup version that you have verified, not automatically from the newest file set if its database or transfer was incomplete.
- Replace or repair the host. Install ZimaOS and the services required to run your photo application on the replacement system.
- Reconnect the backup destination. Attach the USB disk, reach the second NAS, or configure access to the cloud copy. Confirm that the expected backup versions and the Immich database dump are visible before overwriting anything.
- Recreate mount paths exactly. For Immich, restore the host-to-container paths used by the original installation. The path inside the container must point to the restored data in the same way it did before the failure.
- Restore the original folders. Recover all required portions of
UPLOAD_LOCATION, includinglibrary,uploadandprofilefor the default layout. If generated thumbnails or encoded video were not backed up, plan for Immich to regenerate them. - Restore the PostgreSQL database. Use the supported Immich restore process with the dump that belongs to the same backup point as the files. Do not expect Immich to rebuild albums or metadata by scanning the folders.
- Check the managed library. Sign in, open several albums, inspect edited items and confirm that recent uploads appear. Open original files, not just thumbnails.
- Rescan external libraries. For each external library, verify the source mount and run an external-library scan so Immich can reconcile the restored files with the restored database.
- Resume protection. Once the replacement system is working, create or re-enable local and off-site backup tasks. Perform another test restore so the new arrangement is verified rather than assumed.
Common failure modes and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The NAS is running, but a deleted folder is gone everywhere | The backup was a mirror with no retained versions, or the task had not run since deletion | Use versioned ZimaOS Backup tasks and keep retention long enough to discover accidental deletions before old versions expire. |
| The USB disk contains files, but Immich opens with empty albums | Only the filesystem was copied; the PostgreSQL database was omitted or does not match the files | Restore the matching database dump and the original folders together. |
| External-library entries are present but media will not open | The source folder was not backed up, or its mount path changed | Restore the source independently, recreate the exact host-to-container path, then run an external-library scan. |
| A transfer stops partway through | Network, power or destination interruption | Reconnect the destination and let ZimaOS resume the fault-tolerant task; check the task result before assuming the copy is complete. |
| The backup drive is full | Library growth or version retention exceeded available capacity | Measure the protected data, replace the drive with one that has more headroom, or revise retention deliberately. Do not delete the only older restore point without another copy. |
| Restored Immich videos have no thumbnails | Generated thumbnails and encoded video were not included in the backup | Allow Immich to regenerate generated content. Originals and the database are the critical recovery data. |
| Both NAS and USB copy failed after an incident | The USB disk was left attached and exposed to the same power, ransomware or physical event | Keep the local removable copy disconnected or stored separately when it is not being updated, and maintain an off-site copy. |
How to verify that the plan will actually work
A successful backup job only proves that data was transferred; it does not prove that the application can use the result. Schedule a small recovery exercise and record what you learn.
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- Restore one recent photo and one older photo from a retained version. Open both at full size.
- For Immich, restore a database and confirm an album, an edited image and a profile image, not just a random file.
- Check that the restored originals occupy the expected
UPLOAD_LOCATIONpaths. - For an external library, confirm the source mount and complete a scan.
- Verify that the off-site task contains the same database and originals as the local task, rather than only a subset of folders.
- Write down the destination location, mount paths and restore order so another household member can follow it during an emergency.
Repeat the test after changing the NAS, Immich version, storage layout, backup destination or retention policy. A copy that has never been restored remains an assumption.
A practical schedule for a household photo library
Separate the local and off-site jobs. The local task can run more frequently because it has no upload bottleneck and is the fastest way to recover a recently imported phone photo. The off-site task can run less frequently when the household’s upload bandwidth is limited, provided you understand how much new material could be lost between runs.
Keep the database dump and filesystem copy in the same logical backup cycle. If Immich imports photos continuously, avoid a workflow in which the database is dumped long after the originals were copied. ZimaOS’s independent tasks are useful when destinations differ, but independence does not remove the need to coordinate restore points.
What this design protects—and what it does not
Three copies on independent media reduce the chance that one failure erases the library. Versioning gives you a way back from an unnoticed deletion or a damaged file that was copied everywhere. An off-site copy addresses theft, fire and other events that destroy the whole room.
No backup plan eliminates every operational risk. A destination can be misconfigured, a database dump can be unusable, credentials can expire, or retention can be too short. Those risks are why the plan includes a test restore, matching Immich database and file versions, physical separation for removable media, and a second location rather than a single USB disk.
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