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 n8n Instance: Running n8n with Linux environment Server Access: SSH access to both source and target servers Telegram Bot: Created via @BotFather (optional) Textbelt API Key: For SMS notifications (optional) 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 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 Notification Setup (Optional) Telegram Configuration: Create bot via @BotFather on Telegram Get bot token (format: 1234567890:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz) Create notification channel Add bot as administrator Get channel ID: Send test message to channel Visit: https://api.telegram.org/bot<YOURBOTTOKEN>/getUpdates Find "chat":{"id":-100XXXXXXXXXX} SMS Configuration: Register at https://textbelt.com Purchase credits 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 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 Start with small test folder Verify network connectivity: ping sourcehost and ping targethost Test SSH access manually first Run workflow with test data Verify backup completion on target server How to Use Automatic Operation Once activated, the workflow runs automatically: Frequency: Every days midnight Manual Execution Open the workflow in n8n Click on Manual Trigger node Click "Execute Workflow" Monitor execution progress Scheduled Execution To automate backups: Replace Manual Trigger with Schedule Trigger node Configure schedule (e.g., daily at 2 AM) Save and activate workflow Workflow Process Step 1: Dependency Check The workflow automatically: Checks if sshpass is installed locally Installs if missing (supports apt, yum, dnf, apk) Checks sshpass on source server 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 :: sourcehost:/path -> targethost:/path :: [rsync output] Failure Message Format: [Timestamp] -- ERROR :: sourcehost -> targethost :: [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: bash 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: SSH to target server Check folder size: du -sh /target/folder Verify file count: find /target/folder -type f | wc -l 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 Test First: Always test with small datasets Schedule Wisely: Run during low-traffic periods Monitor Space: Ensure adequate storage on target Verify Backups: Regularly test restore procedures Rotate Backups: Implement retention policies Security Use Strong Passwords: Complex passwords for all accounts Limit Permissions: Use dedicated backup users Network Security: Consider VPN for internet transfers Audit Access: Log all backup operations Encrypt Sensitive Data: Consider rsync with encryption Performance Compression: Use -z for slow networks Bandwidth Limits: Prevent network saturation Incremental Backups: Rsync only transfers changes Parallel Transfers: Consider multiple workflows for different folders 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: bash Add timestamp to target folder targetfolder="/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: bash Reverse the rsync direction rsync -avz targetserver:/backup/folder/ sourceserver:/restore/location/ Disaster Recovery Document server configurations Maintain backup access credentials Test restore procedures regularly 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
