Cloud Backup - How to Set Up Backblaze B2 for Cloud Backup

Cloud Backup

Backblaze

Backblaze B2 is a business-class cloud storage provider with extremely low costs, at $0.005/GB a month or $5/TB a month. Retrospect 12 for Windows and Retrospect 14 for Mac are certified for Backblaze B2. Follow these step-by-step instructions for setting up a Backblaze B2 account and adding it to Retrospect.

Step-by-step Guide

Account Setup Guide

Setting up a Backblaze B2 account is quick and easy.

  1. Visit Backblaze B2. Type in your email address and password and click "Sign up for B2".

    01 backblaze homepage

  2. Backblaze B2 requires a valid phone number, so you’ll need to verify yours with a text message. This also allows you to set up two-factor authentication for added security.

    03 backblaze verify

  3. After verifying your phone number, you’ll see your new Backblaze B2 account page.

    04 backblaze account

  4. To connect Retrospect with Backblaze B2, you’ll need your "Account ID" and "Application Key". Click the "Show Account ID and Application Key" link and then the "Create Application Key" button.

    06 backblaze api key

Information for Retrospect

Retrospect needs two pieces of information to access Backblaze B2:

  • Account ID – Use the Account ID from above.

  • Application Key – Use the Application Key from above.

Note: Retrospect requires the master key. It does not yet support application-specific keys in B2.

Adding Cloud Storage in Retrospect

Adding cloud storage as a destination is simple. Retrospect has a new set type called "Cloud". Create a new backup set/media set and select "Cloud" as the type.

Windows Interface

Cloud backup selection win

Mac Interface

Cloud backup selection mac

Next you’ll need to enter your cloud storage credentials. Retrospect allows customers to set the maximum storage usage, up to 100TB. If you have an existing bucket, type it into "Bucket". Otherwise, leave that field blank, and Retrospect will walk through creating a new one.

Windows Interface

Backblaze setup in retrospect win

Mac Interface

Backblaze setup in retrospect mac

Using Cloud Storage in Retrospect

Using cloud storage is simple. After you have created a cloud set, create a new script or add it to an existing one, and click "Run". The backup will begin with the contents of the set being uploaded to your cloud storage location. You can track the progress in the execution/activity.

Windows Interface

Cloud backup log win

Mac Interface

Cloud backup log mac

Throttling Cloud Backups in Retrospect

Throttling for cloud backup and cloud restore is available in Preferences.

Windows Interface

Cloud backup preferences win

Mac Interface

Cloud backup preferences mac

Backblaze B2 Fireball

Retrospect Backup supports integration with B2 Fireball. However, when doing this backup, it will be important that you create a Cloud Backup Set and not a Disk Backup set for the Fireball device.

General Tips

Below are a number of tips for using cloud storage in Retrospect:

Troubleshooting

Disabling Multiple Versions in Lifecycle

In some cases, Retrospect Backup will receive an error during upload and need to retry. You need to set your bucket’s lifecycle to "Keep only the last version". Otherwise, B2 might store retain the prior incomplete copies of your RDB file, and B2 will charge you for this space.

See this example of B2 storing multiple verisons:

Backblaze b2 multple rdbs

You can find a bucket’s lifecycle settings here:

Backblaze b2 life cycle

Last Update: 20 November, 2019