Curious how everyone handles backing up their hub and backup file storage.
I assume all the backup files IP/hub/backup are stored on the hub. Is there a mechanism to delete previous backups (i.e. 7+ days old)? Is it advisable to download the most current backups to my PC?
Yes, the backup files on the Backup and Restore page are stored locally on the hub. There is a "Delete" button next to each backup you can use to remove it if you want (I think this is a new feature, maybe in 2.2.5, so if you're on an older version, you might not see it). The hub should automatically delete any backup more than about 5-7 days old (it says it keeps them for at least 5; I have some that are a week old when I look now). You'll get a backup generated automatically any time you reboot, and you'll also get one once per day during the now-configurable hub maintenance window, which by default is around 2 AM. If you already have a recent backup at that point, I believe that particular one is skipped.
It is indeed advisable to periodically download a backup to your PC--that way, you'd be able to restore your hub if you mess something up beyond repair, and you can also restore it to a different hub if your current one breaks (though some effort may be required to get your devices "matched up" again). Some community members have found creative ways to automate a download of these backups. Hubitat's upcoming Hub Protection Service will also store these, encrypted, in the cloud for you and (according to my understanding) eliminate the need for you to re-pair devices, but that will require a subscription and has not been released yet.
I download backups whenever:
I always download any backup to my PC. In my mind keeping a backup on the device you are backing up isn't terribly secure.
A C7 backup file could be in the area of 1 meg on my PC, so space is not an issue.
Download the Hubitat app
