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The safest answer is a tested 3-2-1 backup: keep the ZimaOS NAS as the working copy, schedule versioned backups to a separate USB disk or another NAS, and send an additional copy to cloud storage or another off-site location. Use ZimaOS Backup for the copy jobs, and verify the plan by restoring and opening a real photo.
RAID does not satisfy this plan. It can keep a NAS available after some drive failures, but it cannot restore pictures deleted by mistake or lost through ransomware, a power event, theft, fire, or total NAS failure.
What a safe ZimaOS photo backup must protect
Your NAS is normally the live, convenient copy of the library. A backup is a separate, recoverable copy that remains available when the NAS, its disks, or the files on it do not. For family photos, the practical target is three copies on two kinds of media, with at least one copy off-site.
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RAID can provide availability: if a member disk fails, the array may continue operating while you replace the disk. The array is still one system, however. An accidental deletion is copied across the array, and a ransomware process with access to the NAS can encrypt every member disk. A failed power supply, surge, theft, fire, or filesystem problem can take the whole array offline. A backup must therefore be independent of the working NAS.
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The three copies in a practical household plan
- Working copy: the photo folders on the ZimaOS NAS, used by your photo application.
- Local recovery copy: a separate USB disk or another local disk that is not part of the NAS array.
- Off-site copy: cloud storage or a second NAS kept at another location. This copy protects against events that affect the home and every device in it.
Keep a USB destination physically disconnected from the NAS when it is not being updated, if that is practical. Disconnecting it reduces exposure to a single power event and makes it harder for a ransomware incident on the NAS to reach the offline disk.
Choose destinations and schedules
ZimaOS Backup supports tasks involving Zima storage, cloud services, LAN locations, and USB devices. You can run several tasks independently, so a fast local task and a slower off-site task do not have to share one schedule.
| Destination | Recovery location | Media independence | Versioning and retention | Typical restore speed | Capacity growth | Recurring cost | Captures Immich database and originals? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separate USB disk | At home, beside the NAS | Yes, when it is a separate device and preferably disconnected between runs | ZimaOS can create scheduled, versioned copies; choose the retention behavior available in your task | Usually fastest because the disk is local; actual speed depends on the USB device and file count | Replace or add disks as the library grows; choose more capacity than the current library plus expected growth | One-time hardware cost | Yes, if the task includes the database dump and all required original-file folders |
| Another NAS or Zima device over LAN | At home or at a second location | Yes, provided it is a different device and power domain; off-site placement is stronger | ZimaOS task versioning applies; the destination’s own retention settings may also matter | Fast on a local network, slower over a remote link | Expand the second NAS or replace its storage | Hardware, electricity, and maintenance | Yes, when both parts are selected in the backup design |
| Cloud storage | Remote provider infrastructure | Yes and off-site by design | Retention and versioning depend on the selected cloud service and task settings; no universal value is stated by ZimaOS | Limited by your internet connection and the amount restored | Normally grows by purchasing additional cloud capacity | Recurring service fee | Yes, when the database dump and originals are uploaded together |
Use a frequent local schedule so recent imports are protected quickly. Use a less frequent off-site schedule when your household upload bandwidth is limited. The correct interval depends on how many new photos you create and how much loss you can tolerate; the important point is that the two jobs can run independently.
Set up ZimaOS Backup step by step
The following sequence uses the ZimaOS Backup application and keeps the NAS as the source. Before creating the task, decide which folders contain the originals and, if you use Immich, where the database dump will be stored.
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- Open Backup. In ZimaOS, open the Backup app and select Add new backup.
- Select the source. Choose Zima for folders stored on the NAS. The app also lists Cloud, LAN, and USB as possible sources, but a normal NAS photo task starts with Zima.
- Select the photo data. Choose the folders that contain the library. If you are uncertain about the layout, select the complete directory structure that must be recoverable. A broader selection is simpler to restore than a collection of undocumented individual folders.
- Choose a destination. Select a separate local disk, another Zima device, an external USB drive, or cloud storage. Confirm that the destination is not merely another folder on the same NAS disk or array; that would not be an independent copy.
- Set the schedule. Create a frequent local task and, if useful, a separate off-site task with a longer interval. Schedule transfers for times when the NAS and network are normally available.
- Allow the first run to finish. The initial copy may take much longer than later incremental runs. ZimaOS documents resume and fault tolerance for interrupted transfers, so a temporary interruption does not necessarily require starting from zero.
- Test a restore. Restore one photo to a temporary location, open it, and confirm that it is the expected image. Record where the restored file came from and how the task was configured. A job that has never produced an opened, readable file is not verified.
Use separate tasks for different risk levels
A single task can be easy to understand, but separate tasks give you useful control. A local USB task can run every night, while an off-site task runs weekly or at another interval that fits the upload connection. Independent tasks also let you pause one destination without disabling the other. Keep the task names specific, such as “Photo originals to USB” and “Immich restore set to cloud,” so a future restore does not depend on memory.
Check what the task actually copied
- Verify that the destination contains files with recent capture dates, not only an empty destination directory.
- Check the task’s last successful run and look for transfer errors.
- Confirm that the destination has enough free capacity for the current library and the next period of growth.
- Repeat a small restore after changing the folder layout, moving the NAS, or replacing the destination disk.
Where are Immich photos actually stored?
Immich needs two backup layers: the original files and the PostgreSQL database. The database contains file paths and user metadata, including information needed for albums and edits. Immich does not scan the library folder and reconstruct that database after a disaster, so copying only image files can leave the application unable to recover the organization and metadata users expect.
Default Immich storage folders
For the default storage layout, the critical original-file locations are:
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Backing up all of UPLOAD_LOCATION is simpler than maintaining a list of subfolders. Thumbnails and encoded video are generated content. They can be regenerated after a restore, although retaining them avoids the processing time and temporary storage needed to recreate them.
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Back up the database and files as one recovery point
- Use Immich’s supported backup process to create a PostgreSQL database dump before copying the installation.
- Include the database dump and the required original-file folders in the same ZimaOS backup task, or otherwise ensure they are captured as a consistent restore point.
- Copy all of
UPLOAD_LOCATIONwhen simplicity and a straightforward restore are more important than saving space. - Run a test restore that includes both a database dump and at least one original photo. Opening the image alone does not prove that albums, edits, users, and metadata are recoverable.
Immich states that it does not handle filesystem backups for you; those copies must be arranged separately. A comprehensive plan therefore includes uploaded photos and videos as well as the database.
Does an Immich external library count as a backup?
No. An Immich external library indexes files that already live outside Immich’s managed upload storage. Immich records where those files are and displays them, but it does not duplicate the originals. If the source disk fails, the database cannot recreate the missing files.
Back up the external-library source folder independently
Create a separate ZimaOS task whose source is the disk or folder that holds the external library. Do not assume that backing up Immich’s database or its managed upload directory includes that source. Include the external folder in the same overall 3-2-1 design, with a local destination and an off-site destination when the photos are irreplaceable.
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For an archive that Immich should only read, mount the source into the container as read-only with the :ro option. Read-only access reduces the chance that an application action changes or deletes archive files. Use write access only when you deliberately need Immich or an administrative process to modify that source, and make sure the independent backup task still runs.
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Recover after a failed NAS
Recovery is easiest when the replacement host presents the same paths that the application used before the failure. Gather the latest verified database dump, the original-file backup, and the notes for any external libraries before rebuilding the service.
- Prepare replacement storage. Install a healthy ZimaOS system or replacement host with enough capacity for the originals, database, and expected regenerated content.
- Recreate host-to-container mount paths exactly. Immich’s database stores paths. If the replacement maps a folder to a different path, the records can point to locations that do not exist.
- Restore the original folders. Restore
UPLOAD_LOCATION/library,UPLOAD_LOCATION/upload, andUPLOAD_LOCATION/profile, or restore the completeUPLOAD_LOCATIONdirectory. Restore external-library source folders separately. - Restore the database. Import the PostgreSQL dump using Immich’s supported restore process. Restore the database after the required storage paths are available so its records match the files presented to the service.
- Reattach external libraries. Recreate their mounts at the original paths. Run an external-library scan where applicable so Immich can index the restored source files.
- Allow generated content to return. If thumbnails or encoded videos were not included, expect Immich to regenerate them. This can require substantial time and temporary disk space but does not mean the original photos are missing.
- Validate the result. Open several photos from different dates, check an album and an edit, and confirm that an external-library item opens. Only after these checks should the replacement become the new working copy.
Choosing a USB backup disk
An external USB drive is a practical second-media destination because ZimaOS explicitly supports it. A useful shopping search phrase is “4TB USB external hard drive”. Four terabytes is an example capacity, not a universal requirement: choose a drive larger than the current library plus expected growth, and account for the space needed by versioned copies and any other data in the task.
Size the disk from your actual library
- Measure the current photo and video folders, including Immich’s required original-file directories.
- Add the amount you expect to create before the next replacement cycle.
- Allow extra room for versioned copies and temporary restore operations.
- If the disk will hold more than photos, include those folders in the capacity calculation.
A single USB disk is not a complete plan. It is the local, second-media copy in a 3-2-1 design. Keep a separate off-site task and periodically test both destinations.
Maintenance checklist for a backup that remains usable
- After setup: complete one full run and restore an image to a temporary folder.
- Monthly: inspect recent task results, check destination free space, and open a newly restored photo.
- After a major change: repeat the test when you move Immich paths, add an external library, replace disks, or change the backup destination.
- At least periodically: perform a broader recovery exercise that includes the database dump, original folders, and an external-library scan if you use one.
- When disconnecting USB: eject it cleanly, label it, store it away from the NAS, and reconnect it for the next scheduled update.
- When a task fails: read the error, check that the destination is mounted and writable, confirm available capacity, and rerun a small test before relying on the next schedule.
Common failure scenarios and fixes
The NAS is still online, but a folder was deleted
Stop making changes to the affected location and use the versioned ZimaOS destination to restore the folder to a temporary location first. Compare the restored files with the working library before replacing anything. If the deletion involved an Immich external library, restore from the independent source-folder task rather than from Immich’s database.
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The USB task stops halfway through
Check the cable, power, destination mount, and free space. ZimaOS documents resume and fault tolerance for interrupted transfers; after correcting the cause, allow the task to continue and then verify that the last run completed. Restore a recent file rather than assuming a resumed task is correct.
The NAS is destroyed or stolen
Use the off-site copy first, or retrieve the disconnected USB disk if it was stored separately. Rebuild the storage paths, restore Immich originals and the database, and validate several files before importing new photos. A destination that remained in the same room as the failed NAS may have been lost to the same event.
Photos open, but Immich albums or edits are missing
This indicates that the original files were copied without a usable PostgreSQL dump, or that the dump and files were from different points in time. Repeat the backup design with a supported database dump and include it with the originals in a consistent task. Restore both layers together.
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An external-library folder appears empty after recovery
Check that the source folder was independently backed up and restored, that the container mount uses the exact original path, and that the external library is attached again. Run an external-library scan after the files are present. Database metadata alone cannot recreate files that were never copied.
Quick Recap
What to implement first
- Create a ZimaOS Backup task from Zima to a separate USB disk and select the complete photo structure.
- Add Immich’s database dump to the recovery set and include all required original-file folders.
- Create a second task to cloud storage or another NAS in a different location.
- Complete and inspect an initial run, then restore and open a real photo.
- Document the paths, schedules, destination locations, and restore order where another household member can find them.
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