Data backup is a critical component of any business or home office’s IT strategy, providing a safety net against data loss due to hardware failures, cyber-attacks, or accidental deletions. Samba, a versatile open-source software, can be configured as a backup server, allowing Windows clients to automate backups to a Samba share. This guide will walk you through setting up Samba for this purpose, ensuring your data is securely backed up with minimal hassle.

Setting Up Samba on Linux

Before diving into configuring Samba as a backup server, ensure you have a Linux server ready. This server will host the Samba service and the backup files. For newcomers, Linux distributions like Ubuntu or CentOS are recommended due to their extensive documentation and supportive communities.

• Install Samba:
  On Ubuntu/Debian:
  bash sudo apt update sudo apt install samba -y
  On CentOS/RHEL:
  bash sudo yum install samba samba-client -y

• Configure the Samba Share:
  Edit the Samba configuration file /etc/samba/smb.conf to define a backup share. Here’s an example configuration:

   [Backups]
      path = /srv/samba/backups
      browseable = no
      read only = no
      writable = yes
      guest ok = no
      create mask = 0700
      directory mask = 0700

This configuration creates a Samba share named Backups, pointing to /srv/samba/backups on the server. The share is not browseable and is writable, ensuring privacy and security for your backups.

• Create the Backup Directory and Set Permissions:

   sudo mkdir -p /srv/samba/backups
   sudo chown -R nobody:nogroup /srv/samba/backups
   sudo chmod -R 0700 /srv/samba/backups

• Add Samba Users:
  For each user that needs to backup data, create a Samba user. This user should correspond to a Linux user on the server.

   sudo adduser backupuser
   sudo smbpasswd -a backupuser

• Restart Samba:
  Apply the changes by restarting the Samba service.
  On Ubuntu/Debian:
  bash sudo systemctl restart smbd nmbd
  On CentOS/RHEL:
  bash sudo systemctl restart smb nmb

Configuring Automated Backups from Windows Clients

With the Samba share set up, the next step is to configure automated backups from Windows clients to the Samba share.

• Map the Samba Share as a Network Drive on Windows:
  Open File Explorer.
  Right-click on ‘This PC’ and select ‘Map network drive…’.
  Choose a drive letter and enter the Samba share path in the format \\<samba_server_ip>\Backups.
  Choose a drive letter and enter the Samba share path in the format \\<samba_server_ip>\Backups.
  Enter the credentials for the Samba user when prompted.

• Use Windows Backup and Restore:
  Open Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
  Click on ‘Set up backup’.
  Choose the mapped network drive as the backup destination.
  Follow the prompts to choose what to back up and schedule your backup.

Leveraging Shape.host Cloud VPS for Samba Backup Server

For small businesses or home offices without the luxury of a dedicated IT department, managing a physical server might be impractical. Shape.host offers Cloud VPS solutions that are ideal for running a Samba backup server. With Shape.host, you can deploy a Linux server in minutes, benefiting from high availability, robust security, and scalable resources. Their Cloud VPS services provide the reliability and performance necessary for critical backup operations, ensuring your data is safely stored and accessible when needed.

Christian Wells