Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) 4.0 Blog Series

Hot off the press is Proxmox Backup Server 4.0. PBS is a great tool to use with your Proxmox VE servers to do fast and easy backups of your VMs and LXCs. It's very easy to setup, and can be deployed in a variety of forms: bare metal, VM or LXC. Personally, I've deployed Proxmox Backup Server 4.0 as a VM on my primary Synology NAS. This PBS instance covers both of my Proxmox hosts, so I can back up all...

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How To: Proxmox Backup Server 4 as a Synology VM

Many home labs have both Proxmox VE hosts (for running VMs and LXCs) as well as a Synology NAS. If you want to run Proxmox Backup Server on your Synology NAS as a VM, this post is for you. I'll show you how to install PBS as VM on your NAS, as well as configure a local disk (EXT4) as a datastore for the backups.Not all Synology NAS devices can run VMs. In addition, I recommend using 4GB of RAM...

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How To: Backblaze B2 as a Proxmox Backup Server 4 S3 Datastore

New to Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) 4.0 is a 'tech preview' feature for using S3 buckets as a datastore. While many people associate S3 buckets with Amazon, it is more or less a standard that many cloud providers support. This opens up many possibilities for direct PBS to cloud backups, which is great news.However, I cannot emphasize enough this new feature IS 'tech preview' and I've seen issues with it. Namely, backup job verifications often fail on bad chunks of...

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How To: Synology iSCSI LUN for Proxmox Backup Server Datastore

If you have a Synology NAS and want to use it with Proxmox Backup Server (PBS), you have two primary options for your datastore: NFS or an iSCSI LUN. If you want to use NFS storage, check out my previous article: How To: Setup Synology NFS for Proxmox Backup Server Datastore . However, the NFS datastore can be finicky and does not always have the best performance. I have now migrated all of my PBS datastores to use iSCSI LUNs. This...

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How To: Synology NFS for Proxmox Backup Server Datastore (2025)

This refreshed 2025 post covers using a Synology NAS NFS share as a datastore for Proxmox backups. Configuring a NFS share for the proper Proxmox Backup Server permissions can be quite challenging. The permissions requirements for PBS are different from just a basic NFS mount to a Proxmox VE host that you use for VE backups, ISOs, etc. Please take note that this procedure is very nuanced, and as such, each step must be exactly followed. One minor misstep can cause...

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How To: Proxmox Backup Server 4 (VM) Installation

In this article I will walk you through how to install Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) 4.0 inside of a VM running on Proxmox 9.0. You might be wondering why you might want to install PBS as a VM instead of a LXC. Good question! If you want to use iSCSI LUNs as a PBS datastore, then going down the LXC path is very convoluted and complicated due to shared permissions between the host and PBS LXC. By using a Proxmox Backup...

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How MVNOs Like US Mobile Can Save You Money on Your Cell Phone Bill

Note: This post is NOT sponsored and there are NO public affiliate links. If you would like a private code to use for $50 off some plans, use my contact form and I'll email you a code.Choosing a cell phone plan in the United States can be overwhelming, with dozens of providers and an ever-growing array of options. Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) stand out by offering a wide variety of plans tailored to different needs and budgets, often at...

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Data Brokers Exposed: How to Opt Out and Secure Your Personal Data

Taking charge of your personally identifying information in modern times is very difficult. In the US there are very few laws to protect what kind of personal data that companies can share. Companies like Meta, Amazon, Google, your ISP, etc. literally make billions of dollars by snooping on what you do online and sell information about you. The scope of data that these data brokers has on each of us is astonishing.  Data that companies know about you can include...

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Home Assistant: iOS Focus Mode Automation Triggers

If you are a Home Assistant user and would like to trigger Home Assistant automations based on iOS Focus Mode changes, this post is for you. In iOS 18 and earlier all focus modes except Sleep can use built-in personal automations to trigger Home Assistant actions based on the Focusing being turned on or off. However, for some reason Apple treated the Sleep focus mode in iOS 18 and earlier different, frustrating many users.  Thankfully iOS 26 beta has remedied this...

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Digital Privacy Decoded: Simple Ways to Secure Your Information

In today's interconnected world, safeguarding your personal information is more crucial than ever. With telecommunications companies collecting extensive data about your communication habits, it's essential to understand how this information is used and how you can protect your privacy. From disabling Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) to securing your Social Security Number and managing your credit, there are numerous strategies to enhance your digital security.This guide delves into practical steps you can take to control your data, prevent unauthorized access,...

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