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Backups cover different failure modes. A local Harly archive is useful for a failed update; disaster recovery requires off-host PostgreSQL and object storage protection. For a single-region self-hosted deployment, a practical target is RPO 15 minutes and RTO 60 minutes. Validate the target against provider quotas, credentials, and restore capacity.

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Create a backup

The CLI stops application workers, creates a PostgreSQL custom-format dump, includes local uploads and configuration, checksums archive contents, and writes a private rollback archive. Encrypted archives require an age recipient and a private identity stored outside the server.
A local archive disappears with the VPS. Copy it to an encrypted off-host bucket and enable object versioning. S3 uploads require an independent backup policy because they are not embedded in the archive.

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Restore

Restore verifies checksums, creates a safety backup, stops workers, restores PostgreSQL and local uploads, and requires readiness before returning success.

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Prove recovery

Use only a throwaway installation:
Run a restore drill monthly and after backup code changes. Record the archive checksum, restore duration, row counts, and upload checksum.