Offsite NAS backup: Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS & business software
The Nimbus Backup Gateway is a multi-protocol ingestion gateway that lets systems which don't natively support Proxmox Backup Server be protected by Nimbus Backup. Your NAS, Linux servers and business software back up as usual — Nimbus handles protection, retention and air-gap.
Three ingestion methods to Nimbus Backup
Nimbus Backup is built on Proxmox Backup Server (PBS). Depending on your environment, we pick the right entry point. Not sure which method? See the guide to choosing the right backup method.
Nimbus Backup Gateway
For one or several NAS, Linux, appliances and business software — even OneDrive exports with a little config. Acts like a NAS you push your backups to (SMB, NFS, S3, rsync…). Commercial, managed and SLA-backed, with optional MSP services.
You are hereNimbusBackupClient
The open-source alternative to the Gateway for Windows: an agent installed on the host that pushes to PBS. Works with any PBS (not just Nimbus), ideal for a single host. Not commercialised, no SLA or support.
Gateway use cases
Back up whatever doesn't speak PBS, without changing any of your existing processes.
Offsite NAS backup
Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS, Unraid or a business NAS: move your backups offsite to Nimbus without changing your habits (Hyper Backup, HBS 3, rsync, SFTP, SMB, NFS, WebDAV, S3).
Linux backup
SQL and PostgreSQL dumps, application archives, scheduled rsync jobs. The Gateway receives your exports and Nimbus applies retention and immutability on the PBS side.
Business software
ERP, DMS, accounting or production software that exports over FTP, SFTP, SMB or NFS. The Gateway becomes their backup target, with no plugin or agent to deploy.
S3-compatible applications
Object backups, application exports and archiving: point your S3 client to the Gateway and benefit from multi-PBS protection and Nimbus LTO archiving.
One Gateway for your whole fleet. It ingests several sources at once — your Synology NAS, your QNAP NAS, your Linux servers and Windows hosts — each with its own protocol, inside the same VPN. See the protocols matrix.
Supported ingestion protocols
Technically, the Gateway is a VM based on OpenMediaVault (Debian), which lets it natively expose most enterprise file services.
Which protocol for your NAS or backup tool (and which one preserves source-side versioning)? See the backup protocols matrix.
Access exclusively over a dedicated VPN
The Gateway never exposes its ingestion services in clear on the internet. Everything travels through an encrypted tunnel, over WireGuard or OpenVPN.
Client mode
Your infrastructure establishes the VPN to Nimbus. Ideal when you keep control of your outbound rules.
Server mode
Nimbus establishes the VPN to your network. Handy when your team would rather not manage the VPN configuration.
Architecture: from source to PBS
The Gateway buffers your backups, then replicates them to one or more PBS — all optional and composable. Each PBS then receives its own protection options, depending on the plan you subscribe to.
For each PBS, composable options:
Multi-PBS architectures (France, Europe, AirGap) are supported — detailed on the PBS plans page. For the multi-site disaster-resilience logic, see the field report on the OVH Strasbourg fire. Before sizing the buffer and the link, estimate your backup window and how long the first backup will take.
The essentials, in plain terms
Three short answers to understand the ingestion gateway, air-gap and access security.
Measured in production
On a 1 TB Windows server, the first PBS backup transferred 876 GB in 20h30, with 75% deduplicated chunks and 57% end-to-end savings.
Read the full case studyWhat is a backup ingestion gateway?
A backup ingestion gateway is an entry point that lets systems which don't natively speak Proxmox Backup Server — NAS, Linux servers, business software — deposit their backups over standard protocols (SMB, NFS, S3, rsync, SFTP). Once received, those backups are protected to PBS, with retention and integrity verification. It is neither a cloud NAS nor production storage: its only purpose is backup.
Is a second offsite NAS an air-gap?
No: a second offsite NAS is not an air-gap as long as it stays connected to the network, because ransomware can reach it like any other reachable target. A true air-gap means physical isolation — the medium is connected to nothing and therefore cannot be encrypted remotely. Nimbus combines PBS logical immutability (an append-only lock against modification and deletion) with, optionally, a physically isolated AirGap PBS and LTO tape in a vault for the strongest level of protection.
Do you need to open ports to back up to the Gateway?
No: backing up to the Gateway requires no inbound ports opened on your firewall. Access is exclusively over a dedicated, outbound VPN — WireGuard or OpenVPN — that encrypts all ingestion traffic. The gateway never exposes its services in clear on the internet, which sharply reduces the attack surface.
Gateway offers
Cloud, managed on site or autonomous: three ways to operate the gateway depending on your context. Prices ex-VAT.
Configure and order your Cloud Gateway
Configure your Nimbus Cloud Gateway
Gateway Cloud
2 TB included
Gateway hosted within the Nimbus infrastructure. Hosting, supervision and maintenance handled by our teams.
- Dedicated VM + dedicated VPN
- 2 TB included, +€15 ex-VAT/TB
- 200 Mbps in / up to 1 Gbps restore
- Setup fee €99 ex-VAT
Managed Gateway Appliance
On site, operated by Nimbus
Hardware installed at your premises, but fully operated by Nimbus. Ideal when volumes or latency call for local ingestion.
- 1.5 TB included, +€25 ex-VAT/TB
- Supervision + monitoring + support
- Setup fee = 3 monthly payments
- 1 month free at months 13/25/37
Autonomous Gateway Appliance
You own it
Gateway sold to the customer, preconfigured with the Nimbus Gateway image. You stay in control, with no Nimbus administration.
- Hardware + preconfiguration
- Image + initial config + docs
- Manufacturer warranty only
- Optional Gateway Care contract
Gateway Care — €200 to €250 ex-VAT/mo
Maintenance contract for autonomous appliances: supervision, monitoring, support, updates and assistance.
A conformance remediation may be required before the contract is activated; fees are billed per audit.
Weekly scan option — €15 ex-VAT/mo
Weekly ClamAV scan of your volume on the Gateway (the buffer zone / external NAS backup server), in addition to PBS protection.
The scan covers what lands in the buffer zone: it does not prejudge the absence of infection on your LAN. If a backup is detected as infected, a full scan of your own environment is very strongly recommended on your side. Indicative analysis service, no guarantee.
Need long-term archiving or an air-gap behind the Gateway? Combine it with AirGapped Drive PBS or Magnetic Bank PBS. For the full picture and offsite backup pricing for businesses, see the umbrella page.
Setup included
The Gateway Cloud setup (€99 ex-VAT) covers everything, end to end, with no surprises:
For the managed offers, Nimbus can also configure your NAS (Synology, QNAP) directly, run the transfer and restore tests and validate the go-live.
What the Gateway is for
One clear purpose: backup, nothing else.
Depositing and protecting backups
Your NAS, servers and software drop their backups here, then protected to PBS.
Optionally exporting them to the more advanced Nimbus Backup services
Multi-PBS replication, AirGap PBS and LTO archiving, depending on your plan.
It is not designed to host live production data, nor for collaborative uses (file sharing, collaborative storage).
Frequently asked questions
Protect whatever doesn't speak PBS
We review your source, pick the right ingestion mode and hand you a clear quote. A 15-minute tech chat, no strings attached.