# Create a file/server backup

Set up an automated backup for your server's files and directories.

This guide walks you through connecting a server to SimpleBackups and creating your first file backup. You will need a server with SSH access (or the Backup Agent installed) and the file paths you want to protect.

## Requirements

- A server with its IP address, SSH username, and password or key
- The file paths you want to back up (web application files, configuration directories, or any other data)

## Connect your server

To back up files, you first need to connect your server to SimpleBackups. Go to your dashboard, click on your profile picture, and select **Servers**. Then click **Connect Server**.

![The Servers page with the Connect Server button](https://simplebackups.com/docs/docs-assets/media-helpkit-co/3837f09450509f67f862.png)

You have three options for connecting your server:

### Automatic (SSH key) — recommended

Copy the command shown on screen, connect to your server via SSH, and paste the command into the terminal. This creates an SSH key and registers your server with SimpleBackups automatically.

![The automatic connection screen showing the command to copy](https://simplebackups.com/docs/docs-assets/media-helpkit-co/0da8ada342d17511ea56.png)

Once the command completes, you should see a success message in your terminal.

![Terminal output showing a successful server connection](https://simplebackups.com/docs/docs-assets/media-helpkit-co/556545406bd53ff55b6c.png)

Click **Validate** on SimpleBackups to confirm the connection. Your server will appear on the **Servers** page.

### Manual (SSH key or password)

Enter your server's Host/IP address, SSH port, SSH user, and password. Specify the operations directory where SimpleBackups will perform backup operations, then click **Validate**.

![The manual connection form with host, port, user, and password fields](https://simplebackups.com/docs/docs-assets/media-helpkit-co/5895920ad2afe1bc91f6.png)

### Tunnel / bastion host

If your server is behind a private network, you can connect through a bastion host. Enter the bastion host's IP address, SSH port, user, and password, then click **Validate**.

![The bastion host connection form](https://simplebackups.com/docs/docs-assets/media-helpkit-co/b79cc2e1d1cd8d953711.png)

**Bastion host with serverless backups:**
If you plan on using a bastion host with serverless database backups, add the SimpleBackups public key to your bastion host's `authorized_keys` file.

**Firewall configuration:**
If your server is behind a firewall, make sure to whitelist the SimpleBackups IP addresses. See [SimpleBackups IP addresses](https://simplebackups.com/docs/help-tips-and-troubleshooting/connecting-a-server/simplebackups-ip-addresses-firewall) for the full list.

## Create the backup

Once your server is connected, you can create a file backup:

1. Click **Backups** in the navigation bar, then click **Create Backup**

![The Backups page with the Create Backup button](https://simplebackups.com/docs/docs-assets/media-helpkit-co/0cbc0cad38564c145142.png)

2. Select **Files & Folders** as the backup type and choose the server you connected

![Selecting the Files and Folders backup type and server](https://simplebackups.com/docs/docs-assets/media-helpkit-co/23b806dc4f71ade4ca76.png)

3. Enter the file path you want to back up (for example, `/var/www`) and click **Validate**

![Entering the file path to back up](https://simplebackups.com/docs/docs-assets/media-helpkit-co/10fa2b226eed05282561.png)

4. Give your backup a name, set a schedule and retention policy, select your storage destination, and click **Create Backup**

![Configuring the backup name, schedule, retention, and storage](https://simplebackups.com/docs/docs-assets/media-helpkit-co/505897d8145e51e26952.png)

5. Click **Run Now** to run your first backup immediately

![The backup detail page with the Run Now button](https://simplebackups.com/docs/docs-assets/media-helpkit-co/e561badeefb7e0fb17c7.png)

Once the backup completes, you can view the logs and download the backup archive from the **Logs** tab.

- [Restore a file/server backup](https://simplebackups.com/docs/server-and-file-backup/restore-a-fileserver-backup): How to download and restore your file backups.

- [Incremental file backups](https://simplebackups.com/docs/server-and-file-backup/incremental-file-backups): Back up only changed files to save storage and speed up backups.