Backups take a couple forms in our case. There is the (pending) client host backups. There are the automatic nightly backups that focus on user files on the file servers. There is also the less frequent and irregular backups of device configurations and firmware.

(Pending) each client host has a shell script that copies selected files/directories from the client to a backup directory in their home folder. See Client.bkups.html for more information.

Quarterly, or after any change, the configuration files of each device (switch, access point, mesh router, pfSense...) are to be backed up.

This means connecting to the device remotely (using the Infrastructure page), selecting the export or backup option for the configuration file. That exports the configurations to your local host.

Once exported/downloaded to your local host, rename that file as needed to include the current date and the host IP. Then move the file to the appropriate directory in the Tech/Backups/ directory. Below is a list of the directories in the Backups/ directory.

Some of the devices that need to be backed up regularly include;

Mesh Router Devices
Databases
Client Hosts
Switchs
Synology NAS
Synology.Virtual.Learning (AP)

For each of these devices, refer to the manufacturer documentation as needed (especially for slight differences).

While you could connect to the serial port of a device and run a configuration backup routine. But that is a bit cumbersome and requires you physically work at each device.

Typically, open a browser and connect to the administration webpage on a device. You can refer to Infrastructure.html which lists each device along with a link to its administration page. This page is a login page and you will need to provide the admin account and password for that device to enter that website.

There you look for the configuration file backup option/feature. There select copying/downloading/backing Up that devices configuration. That will put together a text file and is download by your browser.

Then rename that file to include the IP and current date to make it very descriptive.

Then move that backup file to Backups/ directory in the appropriate directory.

You should keep all configuration backups for the life of that device. You never know when you need to go back several states to get info.

Again, the process is different for each device. For that matter, it will be different from one model to the next. That makes it problematic to document the detailed steps for these types of processes. You need to rely on your familiarity with our systems, research/learning/doing the process for each device in the way it requires.