“Data must always be restorable (and as quickly as possible), in an open format, and consistent.”
— Stefano Marinelli

Why Your Homelab Needs More Than Just “Copies”

If you’re running a homelab—whether it’s for learning, hosting services, or managing family data—you’ve probably told yourself “I’ll back it up later” or “I’ve got my files on another disk, so I’m safe.” But after reading Stefano Marinelli’s “Make Your Own Backup System – Part 1: Strategy Before Scripts,” it’s clear that many of us (myself included!) have been lulled into a false sense of security by confusing “backups” with mere file copies.

Marinelli’s core message?
True backup starts with a plan, not with scripts, disks, or the latest cloud storage.

Key Takeaways for Homelabbers

• Plan First, Script Later:
  Don’t just whip up a cron job to rsync your /home directory. Start by asking: What do you really need to protect? How much downtime can you live with if something breaks? Where should your most precious data actually live?
• Full Disk vs. File Backups:
  Do you back up the entire drive (system and all), or just the irreplaceable stuff? Full disk images are great for quick, all-in-one restores—especially for VMs—but can eat up tons of space. File-level backups (using rsync, tar, etc.) give you granularity, but restoring a borked system is way harder unless you know exactly what you’re doing.
• Snapshots Are Essential:
  Filesystems like ZFS and BTRFS aren’t just for big enterprise setups—they’re your friend! Snapshots freeze your data at a specific point, so you’re not backing up half-written databases or files mid-change. This is the difference between a backup that works and one that silently fails.
• Push or Pull?
  Marinelli makes a strong case for the “pull” model: your backup server fetches data from your machines, not the other way around. This means your main server never has to open up ports or risk exposure, and you keep one central point for management and restores.
• Own Your Data:
  The article strongly advocates for keeping backups out of the “big tech” cloud. For homelabbers, that resonates—part of the homelab spirit is self-reliance and not being beholden to someone else’s infrastructure or fine print.

What’s Missing (and What to Ask Next)

Marinelli doesn’t dive (yet) into the weeds of scripting, automation, or how much this might cost you in hardware and time. He’s laser-focused on strategy—which is honestly what most homelabbers skip in their rush to install the next shiny tool.

But if you’re like me, you might be wondering:

• How do I automate snapshot-based backups in a way that’s easy to restore?
• What’s the best way to test that my backups actually work—without nuking my main system?
• Are there open-source tools that make “pull” backups easier for a home environment?
• What’s the smartest way to mix local and “cloudy” (maybe self-hosted) offsite storage?

Should You Read the Original?

If you’re running a homelab—whether you’ve got a single Raspberry Pi or a rack of old enterprise gear—you owe it to yourself (and your data) to rethink how you do backups. Marinelli’s post is a reminder that strategy trumps technology. The how-tos are coming in his later posts, but even as a stand-alone, this first part is pure gold for anyone who wants to sleep better at night knowing their family photos, media libraries, or home services are safe.

Final Word

Don’t wait for disaster to figure out if your backups work. Start with a plan, learn the difference between copying and true backups, and—most of all—make sure you can restore what you care about, when it matters most.