How to Set Up Duplicati Backup

Published {$created} by Carsten Blum

Backing up your data doesn’t have to be complicated. With Duplicati and ftpGrid Backup Storage, you can create encrypted, automated, and GDPR-compliant backups without running your own servers.

ftpGrid provides managed FTP, SFTP, FTPS, and SCP endpoints, hosted in Germany, so you don’t need to worry about certificates, firewall rules, or compliance.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through connecting Duplicati to ftpGrid in just a few steps.

As always, I recommend you creating an account with ftpGrid, before reading this tutorial, you can follow our getting started with FTP/SFTP guide. If your are in doubt if managed FTP/SFTP hosting is for you, you can read our guide to ftpGrid's managed hosting.

Step 1: Install Duplicati

• Download the latest version of Duplicati for Windows, macOS, or Linux.

• Install and launch the Duplicati web interface, which usually runs at http://localhost:8200.

Step 2: Create a New Backup Job

1. In Duplicati, click “Add backup” → “Configure a new backup”.

2. Give your backup a name (e.g., ftpGrid Backup).

3. (Optional but recommended) Set an encryption passphrase for end-to-end encryption.

Step 3: Choose Storage Type

When prompted for storage type, select:

• FTP – legacy (not recommended).

• FTPS – encrypted FTP over SSL/TLS.

• SFTP (SSH) – secure and most recommended option.

Step 4: Enter ftpGrid Credentials

Use your ftpGrid account details, follow this guide to create a FTP account:

• Server: edgeN.ftpgrid.com (or your assigned endpoint).

• Port:

  • 21 for FTP

  • 990 for FTPS (implicit)

  • 22 for SFTP

• Username: Provided by ftpGrid (example: PREFIX.username).

• Password: Your ftpGrid password.

• Path on server: /backups/duplicati/ (or your preferred folder).

Click “Test connection” to make sure everything works.

Step 5: Select Files to Back Up

• Choose which files and folders from your system to back up.

• Exclude cache or temporary files to keep things efficient.

Step 6: Schedule and Retention

• Set a backup schedule (daily, weekly, or custom).

• Define a retention policy, e.g.:

  • Keep last 7 daily backups

  • Keep last 4 weekly backups

  • Keep last 12 monthly backups

Step 7: Save & Run

• Save the configuration.

• Run your first backup by clicking “Run now”.

• Monitor progress and logs directly in Duplicati’s web interface.

Step 8: Monitor storage and bandwidth usage

Simply use the ftpGrid dashboard to to get data usage insights.

Conclusion

And that’s it. With just a few clicks, you’ve set up Duplicati with ftpGrid Backup Storage. Your backups are now encrypted, GDPR-compliant, and stored securely in Germany.

Next steps:

• Learn more on our Backup Storage page.

• Try our Quick Start guide.