UrBackup — Image & File Backup Without the Enterprise Price Tag
Sometimes you just need reliable backups that don’t come wrapped in licensing hell, Java GUIs, or 300MB agents. UrBackup does exactly what you expect: image-level and file-level backups of client machines — fast, over the network, with minimal fuss. It works on Windows, Linux, and macOS clients, and runs the backup server on pretty much anything with a CPU.
If you’re maintaining a fleet of desktops, laptops, or even headless servers, UrBackup is that rare mix of powerful and not annoying.
What It Actually Does
| Feature | Why It Matters |
| File & Image Backups | Full-disk image for disaster recovery, or just user files — you choose. |
| Network-Based | Centralized backup over LAN or WAN. Clients push or get polled, depending on setup. |
| Bare-Metal Restore | Full system recovery from image — including to new hardware. |
| Web-Based UI | Manage backups, logs, and restore jobs from a clean browser interface. |
| Delta File Backup | Transfers only changed data — saves bandwidth and disk space. |
| Client-Side Encryption | Encrypt backups at the source before they hit the wire or storage. |
| Snapshot Support | Uses VSS on Windows or LVM on Linux — no locked files or partial dumps. |
| Cross-Platform | Backup Windows, Linux, or macOS clients to one central server. |
When It Actually Makes Sense
- You need a free, open-source backup solution that just works — no trial countdowns.
- You’re backing up dozens (or hundreds) of desktops across departments.
- You want file backups *and* full disk images without deploying two separate systems.
- Your remote teams need WAN-capable backups with restore-on-demand.
- You want to run the backup server on a Linux VM with 2 vCPUs and 2 GB RAM — and it actually works.
How to Set It Up (Minimal Headache Edition)
- Install the Server
On Windows? Use the installer from urbackup.org.
On Linux? Grab the .deb or .rpm — or build from source if you’re that kind of admin.sudo apt install urbackup-server
- Add Clients
Download and install the client software on each machine you want to back up. It’ll automatically register with the server (if in the same network) or you can pair it manually via token. - Configure Backup Types
Decide whether each client does file backups, image backups, or both. You can configure exclusions, backup intervals, bandwidth limits, and retention policies. - Schedule & Monitor
The web UI lets you schedule backup windows, check backup status, and restore files or whole systems with a few clicks. - Test a Restore
Don’t skip this. Mount an image or extract some files to prove everything works when it hits the fan.
Final Thoughts
UrBackup is what you install when you want centralized, scriptable, multi-platform backups — and don’t want to mortgage your SAN to do it. It’s not pretty in a marketing-deck way, but it’s reliable, quiet, and gets the job done.
It runs lean, plays nice with network shares, and gives you that rare admin feeling: “Oh wow… this just works.”
If you’re running backups across a mixed environment and want something open, honest, and predictable — UrBackup deserves a spot in your toolbox.
