Dashboard Guide

Borgmatic Guide

Learn how Borgmatic works and get started with your backup strategy

What is Borgmatic Director UI?

Borgmatic Director UI is a modern web-based management interface for Borgmatic, which is a simple, configuration-driven backup software built on top of Borg Backup. Borgmatic automates the creation of backups, handles encryption, compression, and provides a powerful deduplication system that saves storage space by only storing unique data chunks. Borgmatic Director UI provides an intuitive interface to manage your backups, repositories, schedules, and archives without editing configuration files manually.

Key Features

How It Works

Borgmatic Director UI runs in a single Docker container that includes everything you need. Configuration files (YAML) define what to backup, where to store it, and when to run. Backups execute automatically according to your schedule, creating incremental archives that only store changes. You can also use templates to quickly set up common backup configurations.

Quick Start Guide

🚀 Fast Track: Use Templates

If you're setting up backups for common applications (like WordPress, BookStack, or other Infinity Tools), you can use Templates to automatically configure everything. Go to "Templates" → Select a template → Test connection → Activate. This creates repositories, schedules, and backup jobs automatically!

Manual Setup (follow these steps in order):

SSH Keys (Optional)

If you plan to use SSH or SFTP repositories, you'll need to create SSH keys first. These keys allow secure, passwordless access to remote servers.

When needed: Only if using SSH or SFTP repository types

Where: Go to "SSH Keys" in the navigation menu

Create a Repository

A repository is where your backups are stored. It can be local, on a remote server (SSH/SFTP), or in the cloud (S3, Rclone). Think of it as the "destination" for your backups.

Where: Go to "Repositories" → Click "Create Repository"

Tip: Click "Read this first!" on the Repositories page to learn about different repository types and performance.

💡 Example: Create an SSH repository pointing to ssh://user@server.com/var/backups/borg

Create a Schedule

A schedule defines when backups should run. It uses cron syntax to specify the frequency (e.g., daily at 2 AM, weekly on Sundays, etc.).

Where: Go to "Schedules" → Click "Create Schedule"

Tip: You can reuse the same schedule for multiple backup jobs

💡 Example: Create a schedule with cron expression 0 2 * * * (runs daily at 2:00 AM)

Create a Backup Job

A backup job (or "backup") ties everything together. It specifies:

Where: Go to "Backups" → Click "Create Backup"

Tip: You can create multiple backup jobs using the same repository and schedule

💡 Example: Create a backup job that backs up /home and /etc to your SSH repository, running daily at 2 AM, keeping 7 daily, 4 weekly, and 12 monthly backups.

Key Terminology

Repository

A repository is the storage location where all your backups are stored. It's like a "vault" that contains multiple backup archives.

Key points:

Archive

An archive is a single backup snapshot created at a specific point in time. Each time a backup runs, it creates a new archive in the repository.

Key points:

Schedule

A schedule defines when backups should run using cron syntax. It's reusable across multiple backup jobs.

Examples:

Backup Job

A backup job (or simply "backup") is a configuration that defines what to backup, where to store it, when to run, and retention policies.

Components:

Director & Client Modes

Borgmatic Director UI supports two operating modes: Standalone (default) and Director/Client (for managing multiple backup servers from a central location).

Standalone Mode

Default mode - Each server runs Borgmatic Director UI independently. Perfect for single-server deployments.

Characteristics:

Director/Client Mode

Centralized management - One Director server manages multiple Client servers remotely.

Characteristics:

Director Mode

The Director is the central management server that oversees multiple backup clients. It provides a unified dashboard to monitor and manage all connected clients.

Director Capabilities:

Client Mode

Clients are backup servers that connect to a Director. They execute backups locally and report status back to the Director via secure WebSocket connections.

Client Capabilities:

Security Architecture

Director/Client mode uses cryptographic authentication to ensure secure communication:

Protection: Maximum 10 failed authentication attempts, then 1-hour lockout period to prevent brute-force attacks.

Typical Workflow

1. Repository

2. Schedule

3. Backup Job

4. Automatic