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

Select the bucket you want to delete
Click the delete button (🗑️)
Confirm the deletion in the dialog
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

The object protection

Governance Mode

Objects can be overwritten or deleted by users with special permissions
Provides flexibility for administrative actions
Suitable for internal data governance

Compliance Mode

Objects cannot be overwritten or deleted by any user
Provides maximum protection
Required for strict regulatory compliance

Configure Object Lock

During Bucket Creation

Tip

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

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

Navigate to your bucket list
Click "Edit Object Lock" for the desired bucket
Modify retention settings
Save changes

Retention Periods

Minimum: 1 day
Maximum: 365 days
Flexibility: Can be changed after bucket creation
Application: Applies to all new objects in the bucket

Retention mode and retention period can always be adjusted later. However, these settings only apply to new object versions. Existing object versions are not changed.

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

Navigate to your backup subscription details
Find the "Access Keys" section
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:

Click "Regenerate Keys" in your subscription details
Confirm the action (old keys will stop working)
Copy the new credentials
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

Navigate to Backup in the xCloud web app
Select "Change Package"
Choose the new plan
Confirm the change

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 Bacmup 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.

Navigate to Backup in the xCloud web app
Select "Deactivate xCloud Backup"
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)
- 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