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Bare-metal backup

Backups and Business Continuity

A bare-metal backup captures the entire system, including its operating system, applications, settings and data. It lets you restore a computer or server to compatible hardware or a virtual machine and can shorten recovery after a failure.

Examples for small businesses

  • A law firm’s server drive fails. The team restores its system image from a NAS to a virtual machine and gets back to work.
  • A power surge damages a clinic’s reception computer. A technician restores its applications, files and settings from an off-site image onto a replacement machine.
  • A design team moves to new workstations and restores its previous setup from system images. It checks that applications and licences can be transferred before making the change.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing a system image with a file backup. A system image also includes the information the computer needs to start up and run.
  • Failing to test restores regularly.
  • Keeping every copy on the same device.

FAQ

Do I need additional licences?
Synology Active Backup for Business can create bare-metal backups without a separate per-device licence on supported NAS models. Check the requirements for the devices you want to protect.
Can I back up PCs and servers this way?
Yes. Depending on the tool and operating system, you can protect Windows and Linux workstations, servers and virtual machines.