Bareos (Backup Archiving Recovery Open Sourced) is a powerful open-source backup solution forked from the well-known Bacula project. It handles backup, restore, and verification of data across a network for Linux, Windows, and macOS clients. Bareos improves on Bacula with a cleaner codebase, active community development, a built-in web interface (Bareos WebUI), and better integration with modern storage backends.
Bareos uses a client-server architecture with three main daemons: the Director (controls all backup operations), the Storage Daemon (writes data to storage media), and the File Daemon (runs on each client machine being backed up). The catalog database – PostgreSQL in modern versions – tracks every file that has been backed up.
This guide walks through a full Bareos installation on Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04 using the official Bareos community repository. By the end, you will have a working Director, Storage Daemon, File Daemon, PostgreSQL catalog, a configured backup job, and the Bareos WebUI running behind Apache with HTTPS.
Prerequisites
Before starting, make sure you have the following in place:
- Ubuntu 24.04 or 22.04 server with root or sudo access
- Minimum 2 GB RAM and 2 CPU cores (more for large environments)
- Sufficient disk space for backup storage (a separate partition or volume is recommended)
- A fully qualified domain name or static IP address
- Firewall access to ports 9101-9103 (Bareos daemons) and 443 (WebUI)
Step 1: Add the Bareos Community Repository
The Bareos packages in Ubuntu’s default repositories are outdated. The official Bareos community repository provides the latest stable builds – version 25.x at the time of writing. Start by downloading and running the official repository setup script.
For Ubuntu 24.04:
wget -qO /tmp/add_bareos_repositories.sh https://download.bareos.org/current/xUbuntu_24.04/add_bareos_repositories.sh
sudo bash /tmp/add_bareos_repositories.shFor Ubuntu 22.04:
wget -qO /tmp/add_bareos_repositories.sh https://download.bareos.org/current/xUbuntu_22.04/add_bareos_repositories.sh
sudo bash /tmp/add_bareos_repositories.shThe script creates the APT source file at /etc/apt/sources.list.d/bareos.sources and imports the Bareos GPG signing key. Update the package index after adding the repository:
sudo apt updateYou should see the Bareos repository listed in the output with no GPG errors.
Step 2: Install PostgreSQL Database Server
Bareos uses PostgreSQL as its catalog database. The MySQL/MariaDB backend was removed in Bareos 21 – PostgreSQL is the only supported option. Install it from the default Ubuntu repositories:
sudo apt install -y postgresql postgresql-clientVerify that PostgreSQL is running:
sudo systemctl status postgresqlThe service should show active (exited) – this is normal for PostgreSQL since the main process is managed by the cluster service. Ubuntu 24.04 ships PostgreSQL 16, while Ubuntu 22.04 ships PostgreSQL 14. Both versions work with Bareos.
Step 3: Install Bareos Packages
Install the core Bareos components: the Director, Storage Daemon, File Daemon, database tools, console, and web interface.
sudo apt install -y bareos bareos-database-postgresql bareos-bconsole bareos-webuiThis meta-package pulls in everything needed for a single-server setup:
bareos-director– the central control daemonbareos-storage– manages backup storage devicesbareos-filedaemon– the backup client agent (installed on this server too)bareos-database-postgresql– PostgreSQL catalog integrationbareos-bconsole– command-line admin consolebareos-webui– the web-based management interfacebareos-common– shared libraries
Step 4: Initialize the Bareos Catalog Database
Bareos ships database scripts that create the PostgreSQL user, database, and schema. Run them in order as the postgres system user:
sudo -u postgres /usr/lib/bareos/scripts/create_bareos_database
sudo -u postgres /usr/lib/bareos/scripts/make_bareos_tables
sudo -u postgres /usr/lib/bareos/scripts/grant_bareos_privilegesEach command should complete without errors. These scripts create a PostgreSQL database called bareos with a bareos user, populate the catalog schema, and grant the necessary permissions.
Verify the database was created:
sudo -u postgres psql -l | grep bareosYou should see the bareos database listed with bareos as the owner:
bareos | bareos | UTF8 | C.UTF-8 | C.UTF-8 |Step 5: Start and Enable Bareos Services
Start all three Bareos daemons and enable them to survive reboots:
sudo systemctl enable --now bareos-director
sudo systemctl enable --now bareos-storage
sudo systemctl enable --now bareos-filedaemonCheck that all services are running:
sudo systemctl status bareos-director bareos-storage bareos-filedaemonAll three daemons should show active (running). If the Director fails to start, the most common cause is a database connection issue – check /var/log/bareos/bareos.log for details.
Step 6: Understand the Bareos Configuration Structure
Bareos uses a resource-based configuration stored in /etc/bareos/. Unlike older Bacula-style monolithic config files, Bareos splits each resource type into its own file under subdirectories. The main configuration directories are:
/etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/– Director configuration (jobs, clients, schedules, pools, filesets)/etc/bareos/bareos-sd.d/– Storage Daemon configuration (devices, storage)/etc/bareos/bareos-fd.d/– File Daemon configuration (client-side settings)/etc/bareos/bconsole.d/– Console configuration/etc/bareos/bareos-webui.d/– WebUI Director connection settings
Each subdirectory contains further directories organized by resource type. For example, /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/job/ holds all job definitions, and /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/client/ holds client definitions.
Step 7: Configure the Director (bareos-dir)
The Director is the brain of Bareos. The default installation creates a working configuration that backs up the Bareos catalog and the local filesystem. Review the main Director resource:
sudo cat /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/director/bareos-dir.confThe default Director configuration looks similar to this:
Director {
Name = bareos-dir
QueryFile = "/usr/lib/bareos/scripts/query.sql"
Maximum Concurrent Jobs = 10
Password = "RANDOM_PASSWORD_HERE"
Messages = Daemon
Auditing = yes
}The password is auto-generated during installation. You generally do not need to change it unless you are connecting remote consoles.
Configure the Storage Resource
The Director needs to know where the Storage Daemon is. Check the storage resource:
sudo cat /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/storage/File.confThe default configuration points to localhost, which is correct for a single-server setup:
Storage {
Name = File
Address = localhost
Password = "RANDOM_PASSWORD_HERE"
Device = FileStorage
Media Type = File
}If your backup storage is on a remote server, change the Address to that server’s hostname or IP.
Review the Default Client (File Daemon)
The Director ships with a default client resource for the local machine:
sudo cat /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/client/bareos-fd.confThe default client resource connects to the local File Daemon:
Client {
Name = bareos-fd
Address = localhost
Password = "RANDOM_PASSWORD_HERE"
}Step 8: Configure a Backup FileSet
A FileSet defines which files and directories to include or exclude from a backup job. The default installation includes a basic SelfTest FileSet that only backs up the /usr/sbin directory. Create a more practical FileSet for backing up system directories.
Create a new FileSet configuration file:
sudo vi /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/fileset/LinuxAll.confAdd the following configuration:
FileSet {
Name = "LinuxAll"
Description = "Back up all important Linux directories"
Include {
Options {
Signature = MD5
Compression = LZ4
}
File = /etc
File = /home
File = /var/log
File = /var/spool
File = /root
File = /opt
File = /srv
}
Exclude {
File = /proc
File = /sys
File = /tmp
File = /run
File = /dev
File = /var/cache
File = /var/tmp
}
}This FileSet uses LZ4 compression (fast with reasonable compression ratio) and MD5 signatures for data integrity verification. Adjust the Include and Exclude lists based on what matters in your environment.
Step 9: Configure a Backup Schedule
Bareos ships with a default WeeklyCycle schedule, but creating a custom schedule gives you more control. Create a new schedule:
sudo vi /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/schedule/DailyBackup.confAdd the following schedule definition:
Schedule {
Name = "DailyBackup"
Run = Level=Full 1st sun at 02:00
Run = Level=Differential 2nd-5th sun at 02:00
Run = Level=Incremental mon-sat at 02:00
}This schedule runs a Full backup on the first Sunday of every month, Differential backups on the remaining Sundays, and Incremental backups Monday through Saturday – all at 2:00 AM. This is a solid balance between storage usage and restore speed for most environments.
Step 10: Create a Backup Job
Now tie everything together by creating a backup job. This job references the client, FileSet, schedule, and storage pool.
sudo vi /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/job/BackupLocalFiles.confAdd the following job definition:
Job {
Name = "BackupLocalFiles"
JobDefs = "DefaultJob"
Client = "bareos-fd"
FileSet = "LinuxAll"
Schedule = "DailyBackup"
Storage = File
Pool = Incremental
Full Backup Pool = Full
Differential Backup Pool = Differential
Write Bootstrap = "/var/lib/bareos/%c.bsr"
Priority = 10
}The job inherits default settings from DefaultJob (defined in /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/jobdefs/DefaultJob.conf) and overrides the FileSet, schedule, and pool assignments. The bootstrap file written at /var/lib/bareos/%c.bsr is critical for disaster recovery – it contains enough information to restore the most recent backup without the catalog.
Step 11: Configure the Storage Daemon
The Storage Daemon manages the actual backup storage devices. The default configuration stores backups in /var/lib/bareos/storage/. Review the device configuration:
sudo cat /etc/bareos/bareos-sd.d/device/FileStorage.confThe default device configuration stores backups as files on disk:
Device {
Name = FileStorage
Media Type = File
Archive Device = /var/lib/bareos/storage
LabelMedia = yes
Random Access = yes
AutomaticMount = yes
RemovableMedia = no
AlwaysOpen = no
}If you have a dedicated backup partition or volume, change Archive Device to point there. Make sure the bareos user owns the directory:
sudo mkdir -p /backup/bareos
sudo chown bareos:bareos /backup/bareosThen update the Archive Device path in the configuration file to /backup/bareos.
Step 12: Configure the File Daemon
The File Daemon (client agent) runs on every machine you want to back up. On the Bareos server itself, it is already installed and configured. Review the configuration:
sudo cat /etc/bareos/bareos-fd.d/client/myself.confThe default File Daemon configuration:
Client {
Name = bareos-fd
Maximum Concurrent Jobs = 20
}The Director connection is configured in /etc/bareos/bareos-fd.d/director/bareos-dir.conf, which contains the password that must match the client resource on the Director side. The installation handles this automatically.
Step 13: Validate the Configuration
Before reloading the Director with the new configuration, test it for syntax errors:
sudo bareos-dir -t -c /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.dIf the configuration is valid, the command returns without any output. Any errors will be printed with the specific file and line number. Fix them before proceeding.
Also validate the Storage Daemon and File Daemon configurations:
sudo bareos-sd -t -c /etc/bareos/bareos-sd.d
sudo bareos-fd -t -c /etc/bareos/bareos-fd.dOnce all three pass validation, reload the Director to pick up the changes:
sudo systemctl reload bareos-directorStep 14: Run Your First Backup Job
Connect to the Bareos Director using the bconsole command-line tool:
sudo bconsoleYou should see the bconsole prompt confirming a successful connection to the Director:
Connecting to Director localhost:9101
Encryption: TLS_CHACHA20_POLY1305_SHA256 TLSv1.3
1000 OK: bareos-dir Version: 25.0.2 (date)
Enter a period (.) to cancel a command.
*Check the status of all configured jobs and daemons:
* status directorThis shows scheduled jobs, running jobs, and recent job history. Now run the backup job manually:
* run job=BackupLocalFiles level=Full yesThe Director queues the job and returns a Job ID. Monitor the job progress:
* status directorWait for the job to complete, then list the finished jobs:
* list jobsA successful backup shows a status of T (Terminated normally). You can see detailed information about the job:
* list jobid=1Check what files were backed up:
* list files jobid=1Type quit to exit bconsole when finished.
Step 15: Test a Restore
A backup that has never been tested is not a backup. Run a test restore to confirm everything works end to end. Open bconsole again:
sudo bconsoleStart the restore process:
* restore client=bareos-fd where=/tmp/bareos-restore select all done yesThis command restores all files from the most recent backup to /tmp/bareos-restore instead of overwriting original files. The where parameter is critical during testing – never restore to the original location unless you intend to overwrite production files.
Monitor the restore job:
* status directorOnce the restore completes, exit bconsole and verify the restored files exist:
ls -la /tmp/bareos-restore/etc/
ls -la /tmp/bareos-restore/home/The restored files should match the original files in content and permissions. Clean up the test restore when satisfied:
sudo rm -rf /tmp/bareos-restoreStep 16: Configure Firewall Rules
Bareos uses three TCP ports for communication between its daemons. Open these ports in the Ubuntu firewall:
- 9101/tcp – Director daemon
- 9102/tcp – File Daemon
- 9103/tcp – Storage Daemon
sudo ufw allow 9101/tcp comment "Bareos Director"
sudo ufw allow 9102/tcp comment "Bareos File Daemon"
sudo ufw allow 9103/tcp comment "Bareos Storage Daemon"
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp comment "HTTPS WebUI"
sudo ufw reloadVerify the rules are active:
sudo ufw statusThe output should show all four ports allowed:
Status: active
To Action From
-- ------ ----
9101/tcp ALLOW Anywhere # Bareos Director
9102/tcp ALLOW Anywhere # Bareos File Daemon
9103/tcp ALLOW Anywhere # Bareos Storage Daemon
443/tcp ALLOW Anywhere # HTTPS WebUIIn production, restrict ports 9101-9103 to only the IP addresses of your Bareos clients and servers rather than allowing from anywhere.
Step 17: Set Up Bareos WebUI
The Bareos WebUI provides a browser-based dashboard for monitoring jobs, browsing backups, and running restores. It is a PHP application that runs under Apache. The bareos-webui package was already installed in Step 3.
Create a WebUI Admin User
Bareos WebUI authenticates against the Director using a named console resource. Create a dedicated admin console for the web interface:
sudo vi /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/console/admin.confAdd the following configuration:
Console {
Name = "admin"
Password = "YourStrongPasswordHere"
Profile = "webui-admin"
TLS Enable = no
}Replace YourStrongPasswordHere with a strong password. The webui-admin profile is created automatically during installation and grants full access to the WebUI.
The corresponding WebUI Director configuration is already in place at /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/profile/webui-admin.conf. Reload the Director to apply the new console:
sudo systemctl reload bareos-directorEnable Apache and PHP
The Bareos WebUI package installs an Apache configuration file automatically. Enable the required Apache modules and the Bareos site:
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo a2enmod php8.3On Ubuntu 22.04, the PHP module is php8.1 instead of php8.3:
sudo a2enmod php8.1The Bareos WebUI Apache configuration is placed at /etc/apache2/conf-available/bareos-webui.conf. Enable it:
sudo a2enconf bareos-webui
sudo systemctl restart apache2Configure SSL for the WebUI
Running the WebUI over plain HTTP exposes login credentials on the network. Set up SSL with a self-signed certificate for internal use, or use Let’s Encrypt for a public-facing server.
Enable the SSL module and default SSL site:
sudo a2enmod ssl
sudo a2ensite default-ssl
sudo systemctl reload apache2For a production deployment with a domain name, install certbot and obtain a Let’s Encrypt certificate:
sudo apt install -y certbot python3-certbot-apache
sudo certbot --apache -d bareos.example.com --non-interactive --agree-tos -m [email protected]Verify certificate auto-renewal is working:
sudo certbot renew --dry-runMake sure port 443 is open in the firewall (already done in Step 16).
Access the Bareos WebUI
Open your browser and navigate to https://your-server-ip/bareos-webui/. Log in with the credentials you configured:
- Username: admin
- Password: the password you set in
admin.conf - Director: localhost-dir (or the name shown in the dropdown)
After logging in, the dashboard shows an overview of recent jobs, client status, and storage usage. From the WebUI you can:
- Monitor running and completed jobs
- Browse backed-up files and initiate restores
- View client and storage status
- Run backup jobs on demand
- Review job logs and statistics
Step 18: Add a Remote Backup Client
To back up additional machines, install the File Daemon on each remote client and register it with the Director.
On the remote client (Ubuntu), add the Bareos repository and install the File Daemon:
wget -qO /tmp/add_bareos_repositories.sh https://download.bareos.org/current/xUbuntu_24.04/add_bareos_repositories.sh
sudo bash /tmp/add_bareos_repositories.sh
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y bareos-filedaemonOn the Director server, create a client resource for the remote machine. Replace the IP address and hostname with your actual values:
sudo vi /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/client/webserver-fd.confAdd the following client definition:
Client {
Name = "webserver-fd"
Address = "10.0.1.20"
Password = "ClientPasswordHere"
}On the remote client, configure the File Daemon to accept connections from the Director:
sudo vi /etc/bareos/bareos-fd.d/director/bareos-dir.confUpdate the Director resource with the matching password:
Director {
Name = bareos-dir
Password = "ClientPasswordHere"
}The password must match exactly between the Director’s client resource and the File Daemon’s director resource. Restart the File Daemon on the remote client:
sudo systemctl enable --now bareos-filedaemon
sudo systemctl restart bareos-filedaemonOpen port 9102 on the remote client’s firewall:
sudo ufw allow 9102/tcp comment "Bareos File Daemon"
sudo ufw reloadBack on the Director server, reload and verify the connection:
sudo systemctl reload bareos-director
sudo bconsoleCheck the client status from bconsole:
* status client=webserver-fdIf the connection is successful, you will see the client’s version and job history. Then create a backup job for this client using the same pattern shown in Step 10.
Step 19: Configure Email Notifications
Bareos can send email notifications when jobs complete or fail. Edit the Messages resource in the Director configuration:
sudo vi /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/messages/Standard.confUpdate the mail directive with your email address:
Messages {
Name = Standard
Mail Command = "/usr/sbin/bsmtp -h localhost -f [email protected] -s \"Bareos: %t %e of %c %l\" %r"
Operator Command = "/usr/sbin/bsmtp -h localhost -f [email protected] -s \"Bareos: Intervention needed for %j\" %r"
mail = [email protected] = all, !skipped
operator = [email protected] = mount
console = all, !skipped, !saved
append = "/var/log/bareos/bareos.log" = all, !skipped
catalog = all
}This sends email alerts for all job events except skipped jobs. The bsmtp tool ships with Bareos and handles SMTP delivery. Make sure your server can send mail – install postfix or configure bsmtp to use an external SMTP relay.
Reload the Director to apply:
sudo systemctl reload bareos-directorUseful bconsole Commands
Here is a quick reference of the most commonly used bconsole commands for day-to-day Bareos administration:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
status director | Show Director status, running/scheduled jobs |
status client=bareos-fd | Show status of a specific client |
status storage=File | Show storage daemon and device status |
list jobs | List all completed jobs |
list volumes | List all backup volumes |
list clients | List all configured clients |
run job=BackupLocalFiles | Run a backup job interactively |
restore | Start an interactive restore session |
show jobs | Show detailed job resource configuration |
reload | Reload Director configuration without restart |
messages | Show pending console messages |
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Director fails to start after configuration changes
Always validate the configuration before restarting:
sudo bareos-dir -t -c /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.dCheck the log file for specific error messages:
sudo tail -50 /var/log/bareos/bareos.logDatabase connection errors
If the Director cannot connect to PostgreSQL, verify the database exists and the Bareos user has access:
sudo -u postgres psql -c "SELECT datname FROM pg_database WHERE datname='bareos';"
sudo -u postgres psql -c "SELECT usename FROM pg_user WHERE usename='bareos';"If either query returns empty, re-run the database initialization scripts from Step 4.
Client connection failures
When the Director cannot reach a File Daemon, check these common causes:
- Firewall blocking port 9102 on the client
- Password mismatch between Director client resource and File Daemon director resource
- Wrong IP address in the client resource
- File Daemon not running on the client
Test connectivity from the Director server:
nc -zv 10.0.1.20 9102WebUI login fails
If you cannot log into the WebUI, verify the console resource exists and the Director has been reloaded:
sudo cat /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/console/admin.conf
sudo systemctl reload bareos-directorCheck Apache error logs for PHP issues:
sudo tail -20 /var/log/apache2/error.logStorage daemon reports “no volumes available”
This happens when no labeled volumes exist in the pool. Label a new volume from bconsole:
* label volume=Full-0001 pool=Full storage=FileOr set Label Format in the pool configuration to auto-label volumes:
sudo vi /etc/bareos/bareos-dir.d/pool/Full.confAdd the Label Format directive:
Pool {
Name = Full
Pool Type = Backup
Recycle = yes
AutoPrune = yes
Volume Retention = 365 days
Maximum Volume Bytes = 50G
Maximum Volumes = 100
Label Format = "Full-"
}FAQ
What is the difference between Bareos and Bacula?
Bareos is a fork of Bacula that started in 2010. It includes features not in the Bacula community edition: a built-in web interface (Bareos WebUI), improved TLS support, passive client mode, NDMP support, and better cloud storage integration. Bareos also has a more active open-source community and more frequent releases.
Can Bareos back up Windows and macOS clients?
Yes. Bareos provides File Daemon packages for Windows and macOS in addition to Linux. The Windows File Daemon supports Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) for consistent backups of open files. Install the platform-specific File Daemon on each client and register it with the Director the same way as a Linux client.
Which ports does Bareos use?
Bareos uses three TCP ports: 9101 for the Director, 9102 for the File Daemon, and 9103 for the Storage Daemon. All communication between daemons is encrypted with TLS by default in Bareos 25.x.
Does Bareos support deduplication?
Bareos 25.x includes a dedupable storage backend that performs block-level deduplication. This can significantly reduce storage requirements when backing up many similar clients. The feature requires the bareos-storage-dedupable package.
How do I upgrade Bareos to a newer version?
Since Bareos is installed from the official repository, standard package management handles upgrades. Run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade and Bareos packages will be updated along with everything else. After upgrading, check whether database schema changes are needed by running sudo /usr/lib/bareos/scripts/update_bareos_tables.
Conclusion
You now have a fully functional Bareos backup server on Ubuntu with the Director, Storage Daemon, File Daemon, PostgreSQL catalog, and the WebUI all running and configured. The backup job is tested, a restore has been verified, and the firewall is configured for daemon communication.
For a production deployment, consider these next steps: configure backup retention policies per pool, set up offsite or cloud storage for disaster recovery, add monitoring via Bareos WebUI or Nagios/Zabbix integration, and schedule regular restore tests. The Bareos documentation covers advanced topics like tape libraries, NDMP, VMware integration, and plugin development.
