Configuring an Additional Backup in Home Assistant

Your Selora Hub already backs itself up. Daily encrypted cloud backups run at 3:00 AM with managed encryption keys, and homeowners cannot switch them off. That is covered in Backups , and for most sites it is all you need.

This guide is for the case where a client asks for their own copy as well, usually on a NAS they control. You configure that inside Home Assistant, alongside the Selora cloud backups rather than instead of them.

Step 1: Add the backup target

If the destination is a NAS or file server:

1. Go to Settings > System > Storage.
2. Select Add network storage.
3. Fill in the details:
   • Name: how the mount appears on the system
   • Usage: select Backup
   • Server: IP or hostname of the NFS/CIFS server
   • Protocol: NFS or CIFS, plus the share, username, and password for CIFS
4. Select Connect.

The first storage you add with the Backup usage becomes the default target.

Cloud destinations such as Google Drive or OneDrive are added as integrations instead, and then appear in the same list of locations in the next step.

Step 2: Set up the automatic backup

1. Go to Settings > System > Backups.
2. Select Set up backups.
3. Choose a schedule. Daily is the usual answer.
4. Set how many backups to keep. Older ones are deleted automatically once the count is exceeded. Seven daily backups is a reasonable default; check the free space on the share before going higher.
5. Choose the data to include. Home Assistant settings and history are always included. Media, the share folder, and apps are toggles.
6. Enable the locations you want, including the network storage you just added.

Step 3: Save the encryption key

Home Assistant shows the encryption key once, as part of the emergency kit.

1. Download the emergency kit when prompted.
2. Store it in the client’s password manager, and keep your own copy in your installer records.
3. Note the backup location and schedule in your site documentation.

Without this key the backups on the client’s NAS are unrecoverable. The Selora cloud backups are unaffected, since their keys are managed for you.

Taking a one-off backup

Before a risky change, such as a major version upgrade or a large integration rework:

1. Go to Settings > System > Backups.
2. Select Create backup and choose a full backup.
3. Wait for it to finish before making the change.

Restoring

From a backup on the client’s storage:

1. Go to Settings > System > Backups.
2. Select the backup, or use Upload backup from the three-dot menu if the file is on your laptop.
3. Choose what to restore and confirm.
4. You will need the encryption key from the emergency kit.

To restore from a Selora cloud backup instead, download it from the installation page in Selora Homes Connect. It is decrypted for you on download, so there is no key to find. The full procedure, including restoring onto replacement hardware, is in Backups .

References