Purpose

This guide outlines best practices for configuring a Synology NAS to back up shared folders, file servers, physical servers, virtual machines, and cloud services (Google Workspace or Microsoft 365) using Synology tools like Hyper Backup and Active Backup for Business.

Backup Shared Folders to Google Drive (Education Accounts)

Tool: Hyper Backup
Target: Google Shared Drive with Unlimited Storage (Education)

Setup Steps:

1. Open Hyper Backup on the Synology NAS.

2. Create a new backup task targeting Google Drive.

3. Authenticate with the Google account and select the desired Shared Drive.

4. Select the shared folder(s) to back up.

5. Enable client-side encryption and securely store the encryption password.

6. Set the schedule (e.g. daily at night).

7. Configure retention settings:
   Recommended: 30 to 60 versions depending on data change frequency.

Backup File Servers, Physical Servers, and Virtual Machines

Tool: Active Backup for Business (ABB)

Coverage:

• Windows/Linux file servers

• Windows/Linux physical machines (agent-based)

• VMware and Hyper-V virtual machines (agentless with CBT/VSS support)

Setup Steps:

1. Install and open Active Backup for Business.

2. Create tasks for each target:

   • File servers: Configure via SMB or rsync.

   • Physical servers: Install ABB agent and configure with appropriate permissions.

   • VMs: Add VMware/Hyper-V hosts and configure backup schedules.

3. Select a shared folder on a Btrfs volume as the destination.

4. Enable encryption for all backups.

5. Configure retention policies:

   • Recommended:

     • 30 daily

     • 8 weekly

     • 12 monthly

Backup Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 User Data

Tool:

• Active Backup for Google Workspace

• Active Backup for Microsoft 365

Setup Steps:

1. Install the appropriate Active Backup package.

2. Authenticate using domain admin credentials.

3. Select users, shared drives, mailboxes, calendars, contacts, etc.

4. Set backup schedules (daily or real-time).

5. Set retention policy:
   Recommended: Retain data for 90+ days.

RAID and NAS Sizing

Tool: Synology RAID Calculator

Use the online calculator to determine drive requirements based on:

• Data to be backed up (add 30–50% overhead for growth)

• Desired RAID type (SHR recommended for flexibility)

• Redundancy and performance

Link: Synology RAID Calculator

Example:

• Backing up 5TB of total data → Plan for ~8TB usable space

• Use SHR with 4x 4TB drives = 12TB usable after redundancy

Retention Policy Summary

7. Compliance with 3-2-1 Backup Strategy

• 3 copies of your data

• 2 different storage types (NAS, cloud)

• 1 off-site copy

Recommendations

• Always use Btrfs volumes for snapshot support.

• Test restore scenarios quarterly.

• Encrypt all off-site backups.

• Monitor backup logs weekly.