How to Back Up a NAS to the Cloud: Synology Hyper Backup and More

"We are fine, the NAS has RAID." We hear this a lot, usually just after something has gone wrong. Then someone opens a dodgy attachment, ransomware encrypts the shared drive, and the RAID faithfully keeps two perfectly protected copies of the encrypted files. Or a power surge takes out the NAS itself, drives and all.

The short answer: a NAS needs its own backup, kept somewhere else, with older versions you can go back to. On a Synology NAS the usual tool is Hyper Backup, sending an encrypted, versioned copy to Synology C2, S3-compatible storage such as Backblaze B2 or Wasabi, or Google Drive. On QNAP the equivalent is Hybrid Backup Sync. This guide explains the choices in plain terms and the checks that make the backup worth having.

RAID, sync and backup are three different things

• RAID keeps the NAS running when one drive (or two, with RAID 6 or SHR-2) fails. It does nothing about deleted or encrypted files. Our RAID calculator explains the layouts.
• Sync, such as Synology Cloud Sync to OneDrive or Google Drive, keeps two places the same. If a file is deleted or encrypted on the NAS, sync can copy that damage to the cloud within minutes.
• Backup keeps separate versions over time. If today's files are encrypted, you restore last night's, or last week's.

Only the last one gets you out of trouble after a mistake or an attack. Snapshots on the NAS are a great first line of defence, but they live on the same box, so they do not help if the NAS is stolen, flooded or fails.

Where to send the backup

Synology C2 Storage

Synology's own cloud. It plugs straight into Hyper Backup, supports full-system backups of the NAS, and lets you browse and restore individual files from a web page. It is the simplest choice for a Synology owner.

Backblaze B2 or Wasabi (S3-compatible storage)

Low-cost cloud storage that Hyper Backup talks to through the S3 standard. Both providers offer object lock (immutability), which stops stored data being deleted before a set date, even by someone with your passwords. How well that works alongside Hyper Backup's own version rotation needs planning, so we set it up and test it rather than just ticking the box.

Google Drive

Hyper Backup can write a proper versioned backup to Google Drive, which can make sense if you already pay for Google Workspace storage. Make sure the backup goes to a dedicated account or shared drive that ordinary staff cannot reach.

OneDrive and SharePoint

Hyper Backup does not back up to OneDrive. Synology Cloud Sync can sync to OneDrive or SharePoint, but that is sync, with the risks above. If your business is moving its files into Microsoft 365 anyway, our guide on migrating a NAS to SharePoint covers that route, and then you back up Microsoft 365 separately.

A second NAS at another site

Hyper Backup or Snapshot Replication can copy everything to a second Synology at another office or a director's home. Restores are fast because the data is close by. You still need to keep that second box secure and updated.

Setting up Hyper Backup properly

1. Choose what to back up. Every shared folder with business data, plus the NAS settings. Leave out scratch and download folders.
2. Turn on client-side encryption. Hyper Backup encrypts the data before it leaves the NAS, so the cloud provider only stores scrambled files. Store the encryption password or key somewhere safe and separate. Lose it and the backup cannot be opened by anyone, including us.
3. Set versions and rotation. Smart Recycle keeps hourly, daily and weekly versions and prunes old ones automatically. Keep at least 30 days of history so a slow-burning problem is still recoverable.
4. Schedule it out of hours. Run it overnight so the upload does not slow the office internet.
5. Turn on notifications. Send success and failure emails to someone who will read them.
6. Check integrity. Hyper Backup's backup integrity check confirms the stored data is readable. Schedule it monthly.

How long will the first backup take?

The first upload is the big one. Later runs only send changes. You can estimate the first one from your broadband upload speed:

Example: 2 TB of data on a 20 Mbps upload is 2,000,000 MB × 8 ÷ 20 Mbps, which is about 800,000 seconds, or roughly 9 days running flat out. On a 100 Mbps upload it drops to under 2 days.

If the first upload would take weeks, we split it into stages by folder, run it overnight and at weekends, or seed it with a local copy first. It is worth checking your upload speed before choosing how much to protect in the cloud.

Test a restore, not just the backup

A green tick in Hyper Backup tells you the job ran. It does not prove you can get your files back. Every few months, restore a real folder to a different location and open the files. Once a year, rehearse the bad day: what would you do if the NAS was gone tomorrow? Who has the encryption key? How long would it take to download everything?

QNAP owners

QNAP's Hybrid Backup Sync (HBS 3) does the same job. It can send versioned, encrypted backups to many cloud services and other NAS units. The same rules apply: versions, encryption, alerts and test restores. Because QNAP devices were heavily targeted by ransomware such as DeadBolt in 2022, make sure the NAS is not reachable from the internet and the firmware is up to date.

What about Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace data?

Files in OneDrive, SharePoint and Gmail are not automatically backed up in the way most people assume. Deleted items are kept for a limited time, and a mistake or a compromised account can still cost you data. Synology's Active Backup for Microsoft 365 and Active Backup for Google Workspace can pull a copy of that cloud data down to the NAS, which is then included in the cloud backup above. That gives you one place that holds everything.

How we help

We look at what is on your NAS today, how much changes each day and your broadband upload speed. We explain the options and the running cost, then set up Hyper Backup or HBS 3 with encryption, versions and alerts, run the first upload around your working hours and test a restore with you. If you would like us to keep an eye on it afterwards, we can check the backup reports for you.

Our business backup service covers offices across London, Berkshire and Surrey. If the NAS itself still needs planning, start with our guide to setting up a NAS for a small office. For businesses with servers and strict recovery times, a dedicated system such as Datto backup and recovery may be the better fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I back up my Synology NAS to Google Drive?

Yes. Hyper Backup supports Google Drive as a destination and keeps proper versions there. Use a dedicated account or shared drive for the backup so ordinary users cannot delete it.

Is Synology Cloud Sync a backup?

No. Cloud Sync keeps the NAS and a cloud folder the same, so deletions and encrypted files can be copied across. Use Hyper Backup when you need a backup with older versions.

Can Hyper Backup back up to OneDrive?

Not directly. Hyper Backup's cloud destinations include Synology C2, Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft Azure and S3-compatible storage. OneDrive is only available through Cloud Sync, which is sync rather than backup.

How much does NAS cloud backup cost?

Cloud storage is priced per terabyte per month and varies by provider, so check current prices for the amount you need. The bigger cost is usually getting it set up and checked properly, which we quote as a fixed piece of work.

What happens if I lose the encryption key?

The backup cannot be decrypted by anyone. Keep the key or password in a password manager and a sealed physical copy, and make sure more than one person knows where it is.