HostZealot Backup Storage provides additional space for storing backups, archives, and other files separately from your VPS or Dedicated Server.

You can access your storage using two protocols:

• FTP (File Transfer Protocol) allows you to upload, download, and manage files using an FTP client such as FileZilla. This is a convenient option for transferring files from a Windows or macOS computer.
• NFS (Network File System) allows you to mount your Backup Storage as a directory on a Linux server. This is useful for server backups, scheduled tasks, and applications that need direct access to stored files.

Both protocols are enabled by default, and you can use them simultaneously. Files uploaded through FTP are also accessible through NFS, and vice versa.

This guide explains how to manage your Backup Storage settings, connect through FTP or NFS, and configure automatic NFS mounting on Ubuntu.

1. Access your Backup Storage settings

1. Log in to the HostZealot Client Area.
2. Open My Services and select All Services.
3. Go to Backup Storage and select the storage service you want to configure.
4. In the Storage space settings menu, click Services.

The management window contains two tabs:

• Services - manage FTP and NFS and view their connection details.
• IP Access List - manage which IP addresses are allowed to connect through NFS.

2. Manage FTP and NFS services

Open the Services tab to view the available connection protocols.

FTP and NFS are enabled automatically when your Backup Storage is activated. An enabled service displays the In Use status.

You can use the toggle next to either protocol to enable or disable it independently. Disabling one protocol does not require disabling the other.

View your FTP connection details

Expand Access Details in the FTP section.

You will find the following information:

• Server IP - the address of your Backup Storage server.
• Port - the port used for FTP connections.
• Username - your FTP login.
• Password - your FTP password.

Click any field to copy its value to your clipboard.

You will need these details to connect through an FTP client.

View your NFS connection details

Expand Access Details in the NFS section.

The NFS Path field contains the address and directory path required to mount your storage on a Linux server.

It follows this format:

SERVER_IP:/path/to/storage

Click the NFS Path to copy it. You will use this value when configuring your Linux server.

3. Manage IP access for NFS

Before connecting a Linux server through NFS, you need to allow its public IP address in your Backup Storage settings.

Add an IP address

1. Open the Services management window for your Backup Storage.
2. Switch to the IP Access List tab.
3. Click Add IP.
4. Enter the public IP address of the server that will connect to your storage.
5. Enable Allow NFS.
6. Click Confirm.

The IP address will appear in the list with nfs in the Service column.

You can add multiple IP addresses if you need to access the same storage from several servers.

Note:
You must select Allow NFS when adding an IP address. Otherwise, the system will not save the entry.

Remove an IP address

1. Open the IP Access List tab.
2. Find the address you want to remove.
3. Click the three-dot menu next to it.
4. Select Delete.

Removing an address revokes its permission to access your Backup Storage through NFS.

4. Connect to Backup Storage via FTP using FileZilla

FileZilla is a free FTP client available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It allows you to transfer files between your computer and Backup Storage using a graphical interface.

Install FileZilla

1. Visit the official FileZilla website.
2. Download FileZilla Client for your operating system.
3. Install and launch the application.

Connect to your storage

1. Open the HostZealot Client Area and locate the FTP Access Details for your Backup Storage.
2. In FileZilla, find the connection fields at the top of the window.
3. Enter the following information:
   • Host - the Server IP from your Backup Storage settings.
   • Username - your FTP Username.
   • Password - your FTP Password.
   • Port - the Port displayed in your FTP connection details.
4. Click Quickconnect.

FileZilla will attempt to establish a connection. Once connected, the remote directory listing will appear on the right side of the window.

Note:
Standard FTP does not encrypt data during transmission. Use it only when an unencrypted connection is acceptable for your files and network environment.

Understand the FileZilla interface

The FileZilla window is divided into two main areas:

• Local site (left) - files and directories on your computer.
• Remote site (right) - files and directories on your Backup Storage.

The lower section displays file transfer progress and completed or failed transfers.

Upload files to Backup Storage

1. In the Local site area, navigate to the folder containing the files you want to upload.
2. In the Remote site area, open the destination directory on your Backup Storage.
3. Drag the files from the local file list to the remote file list.

Alternatively, right-click a local file and select Upload.

Once the transfer is complete, the uploaded file will appear in the remote directory.

Download files from Backup Storage

1. In the Local site area, open the folder where you want to save the downloaded files.
2. In the Remote site area, locate the file you want to download.
3. Right-click the file and select Download.

FileZilla will transfer the file to the selected folder on your computer.

You can also create directories, rename files, and delete files on your Backup Storage using the remote file list.

5. Connect to Backup Storage via NFS on Linux

NFS allows a Linux server to access your Backup Storage through a mounted directory. Applications can work with files in that directory without requiring a separate FTP client.

The following example uses Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. The general process is similar on other Linux distributions, although package installation commands may differ.

Before proceeding, make sure that:

• Your Backup Storage is active and NFS is enabled.
• You have copied the NFS Path from your Backup Storage settings.
• You have added your Linux server's public IP address to the IP Access List with Allow NFS enabled.
• You can connect to your Linux server through SSH or another available console.

Step 1. Install the NFS client

Connect to your Ubuntu server and update the package list:

sudo apt update

Install the NFS client utilities:

sudo apt install -y nfs-common

The nfs-common package provides the tools required to mount NFS shares on Ubuntu.

Step 2. Create a mount directory

Create a directory that will serve as the access point for your Backup Storage:

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/backup-storage

After mounting, files stored on your Backup Storage will be accessible through this directory.

Step 3. Mount your Backup Storage

Use the mount command with the NFS Path from your Client Area:

sudo mount -t nfs SERVER_IP:/path/to/storage /mnt/backup-storage

Replace SERVER_IP:/path/to/storage with your complete NFS Path.

If the command succeeds, it usually returns to the command prompt without displaying a message.

Step 4. Verify the connection

Run:

df -h /mnt/backup-storage

The output should display your NFS storage, its total capacity, and the directory where it is mounted.

You can also view the contents of the storage:

ls -la /mnt/backup-storage

Step 5. Test file access

Create a test file in the mounted directory:

echo "Hello from Ubuntu via NFS!" | sudo tee /mnt/backup-storage/test-nfs.txt

Read the file:

cat /mnt/backup-storage/test-nfs.txt

If the connection and file permissions are configured correctly, the output will be:

Hello from Ubuntu via NFS!

The file is stored on your Backup Storage, not on the VPS's local disk.

You can also connect to the same Backup Storage through FTP and find test-nfs.txt in the remote directory. Both protocols provide access to the same stored files.

6. Mount Backup Storage automatically after reboot

The manual NFS mount described above does not automatically persist after a server reboot.

If you use Backup Storage for regular backups or other ongoing tasks, you can configure Ubuntu to mount it automatically when the directory is accessed.

This is done through /etc/fstab, the Linux configuration file used to define filesystem mounts.

Step 1. Back up the existing configuration

Before making changes, create a backup of the current file:

sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.bak

Step 2. Edit /etc/fstab

Open the file in a text editor:

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Add the following line at the end:

SERVER_IP:/path/to/storage /mnt/backup-storage nfs defaults,_netdev,nofail,x-systemd.automount 0 0

Replace SERVER_IP:/path/to/storage with your actual NFS Path.

The configuration includes several useful options:

• defaults - uses standard NFS mount options.
• _netdev - identifies the mount as dependent on network availability.
• nofail - allows the system to continue booting if the storage is unavailable.
• x-systemd.automount - enables automatic mounting when the directory is accessed.

Save the file in Nano by pressing Ctrl + O, then Enter. Press Ctrl + X to exit.

Step 3. Apply the configuration

Reload the systemd configuration:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

If the storage is currently mounted manually, unmount it:

sudo umount /mnt/backup-storage

Make sure no application is actively using the mounted directory before unmounting it.

Step 4. Verify automatic mounting after reboot

Reboot your Ubuntu server:

sudo reboot

Wait for the server to start and reconnect through SSH.

Access the storage directory:

ls /mnt/backup-storage

With x-systemd.automount configured, accessing this directory triggers the NFS mount.

Verify that the storage is connected:

df -h /mnt/backup-storage

If the output displays your NFS storage and its capacity, automatic mounting is working.

7. Disconnect your Backup Storage from Linux

If you mounted your Backup Storage manually and no longer need the connection, you can unmount it using:

sudo umount /mnt/backup-storage

This disconnects the mounted filesystem without deleting the files stored on your Backup Storage.

If you configured automatic mounting through /etc/fstab, remove the corresponding entry when you no longer want the storage to mount automatically. Then reload the configuration:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Keep in mind that unmounting an automatically managed NFS share without removing its configuration may result in the storage being mounted again when the directory is accessed.

Which connection method should you use?

Both FTP and NFS allow you to access the same Backup Storage, but they are designed for different workflows.

• Use FTP when you want to upload, download, or manage files from your computer using a graphical application such as FileZilla.
• Use NFS when you want your Linux server or applications to access Backup Storage as a mounted directory.
• Enable automatic NFS mounting when your server needs ongoing access to the storage after reboots.

You can keep FTP and NFS enabled simultaneously and use whichever method best suits your needs.