Automated Rsync Backup with Password Auth & Alert System

Overview

This n8n workflow provides automated rsync backup capabilities between servers using password authentication. It automatically installs required dependencies, performs the backup operation from a source server to a target server, and sends status notifications via Telegram and SMS.

Features

• Password-based SSH authentication (no key management required)
• Automatic dependency installation (sshpass, rsync)
• Cross-platform support (Ubuntu/Debian, RHEL/CentOS, Alpine)
• Source-to-target backup execution
• Multi-channel notifications (Telegram and SMS)
• Detailed success/failure reporting
• Manual trigger for on-demand backups

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

1. n8n Instance: Running n8n with Linux environment
2. Server Access: SSH access to both source and target servers
3. Telegram Bot: Created via @BotFather (optional)
4. Textbelt API Key: For SMS notifications (optional)
5. Network: Connectivity between n8n, source, and target servers

Server Requirements

Source Server:

• SSH access enabled
• User with sudo privileges (for package installation)
• Read access to source folder

Target Server:

• SSH access enabled
• Write access to target folder
• Sufficient storage space

Configuration Steps

1. Server Parameters Configuration

Open the Server Parameters node and configure:

Source Server Settings:

• source_host: IP address or hostname of source server
• source_port: SSH port (typically 22)
• source_user: Username for source server
• source_password: Password for source user
• source_folder: Full path to folder to backup (e.g., /home/user/data)

Target Server Settings:

• target_host: IP address or hostname of target server
• target_port: SSH port (typically 22)
• target_user: Username for target server
• target_password: Password for target user
• target_folder: Full path to destination folder (e.g., /backup/data)

Rsync Options:

• rsync_options: Default is -avz --delete
  • -a: Archive mode (preserves permissions, timestamps, etc.)
  • -v: Verbose output
  • -z: Compression during transfer
  • --delete: Remove files from target that don't exist in source

2. Notification Setup (Optional)

Telegram Configuration:

1. Create bot via @BotFather on Telegram
2. Get bot token (format: 1234567890:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz)
3. Create notification channel
4. Add bot as administrator
5. Get channel ID:
   • Send test message to channel
   • Visit: https://api.telegram.org/bot<YOUR_BOT_TOKEN>/getUpdates
   • Find "chat":{"id":-100XXXXXXXXXX}

SMS Configuration:

1. Register at https://textbelt.com
2. Purchase credits
3. Obtain API key

Update Notification Node:
Edit Process Finish Report --- Telegram & SMS node:

• Replace YOUR-TELEGRAM-BOT-TOKEN with bot token
• Replace YOUR-TELEGRAM-CHANNEL-ID with channel ID
• Replace +36301234567 with target phone number(s)
• Replace YOUR-TEXTBELT-API-KEY with Textbelt key

3. Security Considerations

Password Storage:

• Consider using n8n credentials for sensitive passwords
• Avoid hardcoding passwords in workflow
• Use environment variables where possible

SSH Security:

• Workflow uses StrictHostKeyChecking=no for automation
• Consider adding known hosts manually for production
• Review firewall rules between servers

Testing

1. Start with small test folder
2. Verify network connectivity: ping source_host and ping target_host
3. Test SSH access manually first
4. Run workflow with test data
5. Verify backup completion on target server

How to Use

Automatic Operation

Once activated, the workflow runs automatically:

• Frequency: Every days midnight

Manual Execution

1. Open the workflow in n8n
2. Click on Manual Trigger node
3. Click "Execute Workflow"
4. Monitor execution progress

Scheduled Execution

To automate backups:

1. Replace Manual Trigger with Schedule Trigger node
2. Configure schedule (e.g., daily at 2 AM)
3. Save and activate workflow

Workflow Process

Step 1: Dependency Check

The workflow automatically:

1. Checks if sshpass is installed locally
2. Installs if missing (supports apt, yum, dnf, apk)
3. Checks sshpass on source server
4. Installs on source if needed (with sudo)

Step 2: Backup Execution

• Connects to source server via SSH
• Executes rsync command from source to target
• Uses password authentication for both connections
• Transfers data directly between servers (not through n8n)

Step 3: Status Reporting

Success Message Format:

[Timestamp] -- SUCCESS :: source_host:/path -> target_host:/path :: [rsync output]

Failure Message Format:

[Timestamp] -- ERROR :: source_host -> target_host :: [exit code] -- [error message]

Rsync Options Guide

Common Options:

• -a: Archive mode (recommended)
• -v: Verbose output for monitoring
• -z: Compression (useful for slow networks)
• --delete: Mirror source (removes extra files from target)
• --exclude: Skip specific files/folders
• --dry-run: Test without actual transfer
• --progress: Show transfer progress
• --bwlimit: Limit bandwidth usage

Example Configurations:

# Basic backup
-avz

# Mirror with deletion
-avz --delete

# Exclude temporary files
-avz --exclude='*.tmp' --exclude='*.cache'

# Bandwidth limited (1MB/s)
-avz --bwlimit=1000

# Dry run test
-avzn --delete

Monitoring

Execution Logs

• Check n8n Executions tab
• Review stdout for rsync details
• Check stderr for error messages

Verification

After backup:

1. SSH to target server
2. Check folder size: du -sh /target/folder
3. Verify file count: find /target/folder -type f | wc -l
4. Compare with source: ls -la /target/folder

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

"Connection refused" error:

• Verify SSH port is correct
• Check firewall rules
• Ensure SSH service is running

"Permission denied" error:

• Verify username/password
• Check user has required permissions
• Ensure sudo works (for installation)

Installation Failures

"Unsupported package manager":

• Workflow supports: apt, yum, dnf, apk
• Manual installation may be required for others

"sudo: password required":

• User needs passwordless sudo or
• Modify installation commands

Rsync Errors

"rsync error: some files/attrs were not transferred":

• Usually permission issues
• Check file ownership
• Review excluded files

"No space left on device":

• Check target server storage
• Clean up old backups
• Consider compression options

Notification Issues

No Telegram message:

• Verify bot token and channel ID
• Check bot is admin in channel
• Test with curl command manually

SMS not received:

• Check Textbelt credit balance
• Verify phone number format
• Review API key validity

Best Practices

Backup Strategy

1. Test First: Always test with small datasets
2. Schedule Wisely: Run during low-traffic periods
3. Monitor Space: Ensure adequate storage on target
4. Verify Backups: Regularly test restore procedures
5. Rotate Backups: Implement retention policies

Security

1. Use Strong Passwords: Complex passwords for all accounts
2. Limit Permissions: Use dedicated backup users
3. Network Security: Consider VPN for internet transfers
4. Audit Access: Log all backup operations
5. Encrypt Sensitive Data: Consider rsync with encryption

Performance

1. Compression: Use -z for slow networks
2. Bandwidth Limits: Prevent network saturation
3. Incremental Backups: Rsync only transfers changes
4. Parallel Transfers: Consider multiple workflows for different folders
5. Off-Peak Hours: Schedule during quiet periods

Advanced Configuration

Multiple Backup Jobs

Create separate workflows for:

• Different server pairs
• Various schedules
• Distinct retention policies

Backup Rotation

Implement versioning:

# Add timestamp to target folder
target_folder="/backup/data_$(date +%Y%m%d)"

Pre/Post Scripts

Add nodes for:

• Database dumps before backup
• Service stops/starts
• Cleanup operations
• Verification scripts

Error Handling

Enhance workflow with:

• Retry mechanisms
• Fallback servers
• Detailed error logging
• Escalation procedures

Maintenance

Regular Tasks

• Daily: Check backup completion
• Weekly: Verify backup integrity
• Monthly: Test restore procedure
• Quarterly: Review and optimize rsync options
• Annually: Audit security settings

Monitoring Metrics

Track:

• Backup duration
• Transfer size
• Success/failure rate
• Storage utilization
• Network bandwidth usage

Recovery Procedures

Restore from Backup

To restore files:

# Reverse the rsync direction
rsync -avz target_server:/backup/folder/ source_server:/restore/location/

Disaster Recovery

1. Document server configurations
2. Maintain backup access credentials
3. Test restore procedures regularly
4. Keep workflow exports as backup

Support Resources

• Rsync documentation: https://rsync.samba.org/
• n8n community: https://community.n8n.io/
• SSH troubleshooting guides
• Network diagnostics tools