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xCloud Backup

Overview

xCloud Backup is a simple cloud storage solution designed specifically for creating versioned backups from Network-Attached Storage (NAS) systems. Compatible with popular NAS manufacturers like Synology, QNAP, Asustor, Ugreen and others, xCloud Backup provides S3-compatible storage with advanced features including object locking combined with a package-based pricing model for predictable costs.

Step-by-step guides

S3 Compatibility

What is S3?

Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) is a widely-adopted cloud storage standard. xCloud Backup implements extensive S3 API compatibility, allowing all common S3 tools and applications to be used.

S3 Credentials

Upon subscription activation, you'll receive:

  • Server Address: The endpoint URL for S3 API access
  • Access Key: Personal public identifier (comparable to a username)

  • Secret Key: A private authentication key (comparable to a password)

    Warning

    Ensure secure key storage.

Supported S3 Operations

xCloud Backup supports all standard S3 operations:

  • Bucket operations: Create, list, delete buckets
  • Object operations: Create, retrieve, delete objects
  • Versioning: Multiple versions of the same object
  • Object Lock: Prevent deletions of object versions for a given time period
  • Metadata: Store custom object metadata
  • Access control: Bucket and object permissions with bucket ACLs

All operations can be performed using a standard S3 client. A (growing) subset of common operations can also be performed using the xCloud web UI. These features are explained in more detail in the following sections.

Bucket Management

Create Backup Bucket

If no bucket currently exists, you can create a bucket with the click of a button. Optionally, you can enable the "Object Lock" feature.

Delete Bucket

  1. Select the bucket you want to delete
  2. Click the delete button (🗑️)
  3. Confirm the deletion in the dialog
  4. Warning: This action cannot be undone

Object Lock

Object Lock is a compliance feature that prevents object versions from being deleted or overwritten for a specified period. This is crucial for:

  • Regulatory compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
  • Protection against ransomware
  • Prevention of accidental deletion
  • Enforcing internal data retention policies

Object Lock Modes

Object protection offers two retention modes, which differ in who is allowed to delete a protected object version early:

Governance Mode

  • Protected object versions can be bypassed by users with the corresponding permissions
  • Provides flexibility for administrative actions
  • Suitable for testing and for preventing accidental deletion

Compliance Mode

  • Retention protects even against administrators and prevents any early deletion
  • Provides maximum protection
  • Suitable for legally binding retention obligations

Configure Object Lock

During Bucket Creation

Tip

Object Lock must be enabled during bucket creation, it cannot be enabled later.

  1. Enable "Object Lock" when creating a bucket
  2. Choose retention mode (Governance or Compliance)
  3. Set retention period (1-365 days)
  4. Confirm bucket creation

Modify Settings for Existing Buckets

Warning

Updated retention settings apply only to new object versions uploaded after the settings change. Existing object versions remain unaffected and retain their existing retention mode & period.

  1. Navigate to your bucket list
  2. Click "Edit Object Lock" for the desired bucket
  3. Modify retention settings
  4. Save changes

Retention Periods

  • Minimum: 1 day
  • Maximum: 365 days
  • Application: Applies to all new object versions in the bucket

Activation vs. settings

Whether a bucket uses Object Lock is determined once at bucket creation and cannot be changed afterwards. The retention mode and retention period of a bucket with Object Lock enabled, however, can be adjusted at any time – they then only apply to new object versions; existing object versions keep the mode and period that applied at their upload.

Access Credentials

Access Keys are credentials that allow your NAS system to authenticate with xCloud Backup:

  • Access Key: Acts as a username (safe to share)
  • Secret Key: Acts as a password (keep secure)

View Keys

  1. Navigate to your backup subscription details
  2. Find the "Access Keys" section
  3. Click "Show" to reveal your secret key

Info

Use the copy button to copy credentials without making them visible

Regenerate Keys

When to regenerate:

  • Suspected security breach
  • Key accidentally shared
  • Regular security rotation
  • NAS system replacement

How to regenerate:

  1. Click "Regenerate Keys" in your subscription details
  2. Confirm the action (old keys will stop working)
  3. Copy the new credentials
  4. Update your NAS system with new keys

Important Notes:

  • Old keys become invalid immediately
  • Update all systems using the old keys
  • Test connectivity after regeneration

Pricing and Billing

Subscription Management

Upgrade/Downgrade

  1. Navigate to Backup in the xCloud web app
  2. Select "Change Package"
  3. Choose the new plan
  4. Confirm the change

Credentials remain valid

When switching packages, your existing S3 credentials remain valid – your NAS system does not need to be reconfigured.

Partial Billing

When switching within a billing period, daily prorated billing occurs at the respective rates. Package prices are calculated daily for the billing period.

Cancellation

Info

  • A subscription for xCloud Backup can be canceled at any time, but requires all backup buckets to be deleted first.
  • Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period.
  1. Navigate to Backup in the xCloud web app
  2. Select "Deactivate xCloud Backup"
  3. Confirm the change

Pricing Structure

  • Monthly subscription fee: Fixed monthly cost based on the selected plan. Unused quotas from previous months are not carried over. The price includes
    • A fixed quota for included storage (between 2 and 50 TB depending on package size – Safe S to Safe XL)
    • A fixed quota for outgoing traffic equal to the included storage (needed for rollbacks and integrity checks)
    • Unlimited incoming traffic (needed for creating backups).
  • Overage pricing: variable monthly costs for storage and outgoing traffic that exceed both quotas:
    • Per-GB charges for stored data. Storage usage is measured once daily. Storage usage exceeding the quota is charged proportionally to duration at the storage price.
    • Per-GB for outgoing traffic is charged for monthly accumulated traffic exceeding the inclusive quota.

Size Unit TB

xCloud uses the factor 1024 for data amounts to convert between the size orders KB, MB, GB, TB: 1 KB is thus 1024 bytes, 1 MB is 1024 KB, 1 GB is 1024 MB, 1 TB is 1024 GB. An overview:

Unit Size in KB
1 MB 1,024
1 GB 1,048,576
1 TB 1,073,741,824