How to Back Up One NAS to Another: Synology, UGREEN and QNAP

Quick Summary (TL;DR):
You can back up files from one NASAliExpress price to another even when the devices are different brands. The simplest common transport is usually rsync; some combinations also support WebDAV, while two QNAP units can use RTRR and two Synology units can use Hyper Backup plus Hyper Backup Vault. For cross-brand protection, create a dedicated destination share and backup account, establish an encrypted network path (preferably a private VPN between sites), select only the required shared folders, enable backup versions/retention where the chosen job supports them and restore a test file. A one-way mirror that immediately deletes the destination copy of a deleted source file is not a sufficient ransomware or accidental-deletion backup. This guide covers practical Synology, UGREEN NASync (UGOS Pro) and QNAP HBS 3 workflows, along with encryption, scheduling, versioning and disaster recovery. Menu labels and cross-vendor feature support vary by software version: verify your exact source and destination combination before relying on it.

NAS-to-NAS Backup: What Actually Works Between Brands?

A second NASAliExpress price gives you another physical storage system to recover from disk-pool corruption, accidental deletion or the loss of your main chassis. The second box does not have to match the first. What matters is whether the sending backup application can speak a protocol that the receiving system exposes, and whether you can recover from the resulting files or backup archive.

This is a file and backup-job interoperability guide, not a promise that Synology packages, QNAP apps, UGREEN configuration databases or virtual machine formats can be restored across vendors. Application-aware backup and a full NASAliExpress price system migration need their own export and recovery procedures.

Source NASAliExpress price	Destination NASAliExpress price	Practical approach	Critical condition
Synology	Synology	Hyper Backup to remote NAS with Hyper Backup Vault	Versioned .hbk backup; matching supported packages
Synology	QNAP	Hyper Backup to an rsync-compatible destination	QNAP documents an SSH-encrypted single-version route; test first
Synology	UGREEN	Hyper Backup rsync-compatible server, when interoperable	Confirm daemon/module or encrypted shell mode and restore
QNAP	QNAP	HBS 3 Backup via RTRR to remote NAS	Enable receiving service, select a backup job
QNAP	Synology or UGREEN	HBS 3 Remote Rsync server	Check credentials, encryption and backup-versus-sync behaviour
UGREEN	UGREEN, Synology or QNAP	UGOS Pro Sync & Backup to rsync/WebDAV server	Firmware/app support and destination service must match

The best same-brand options tend to expose more integration. Cross-brand paths are excellent for protecting selected files, but you should not assume identical handling of ACLs, snapshots, encrypted shares, app configuration or retention. These distinctions are important when you are choosing the primary and secondary devices. See our NAS brand comparison for the wider software and hardware trade-offs.

First Decide: Backup, Sync or Replication?

Method	What happens when a source file is deleted?	Restoration value	Use as your only backup?
Versioned backup	Older versions can remain until retention expires	Good for rollback and ransomware recovery	Good if independent and tested
Single-version backup	Latest copy may no longer include the deleted file	Useful for machine failure and quick restores	No: add another versioned/offline copy
One-way mirror sync	Deletion can propagate to the destination	Useful for identical working sets	No
Two-way synchronisation	Changes and some mistakes can propagate both ways	Convenient collaboration	No
Snapshots on destination	Point-in-time state may survive later changes if available and protected	Useful extra safety layer	Not by themselves; same-site and access risks remain

In QNAP HBS 3, a Backup & Restore job and a Sync job are distinct functions. In Synology, Hyper Backup and Shared Folder Sync are also not equivalent. When following a cross-brand vendor tutorial that demonstrates a synchronisation job, add an independent versioned/offline backup rather than relabelling the mirror as complete protection.

For a broader three-copy architecture, use our 3-2-1 NAS Backup Plan. A remote NAS is one destination in that plan, not a substitute for every other recovery copy.

Prepare Both Devices Before You Configure a Job

1. Update the NAS software and backup apps within your normal change window, then check the vendor documentation for your exact firmware.
2. Check capacity on the destination using actual selected source data plus growth and retained versions, not just nominal disk sizes.
3. Create a dedicated backup share (for example, NAS-BACKUP-IN) on the receiving NAS and keep it separate from the normal family or business shares.
4. Create a dedicated account with only the permissions required for that share and protocol. Do not reuse your daily administrator credentials if the platform supports a less privileged role.
5. Determine the connection: LAN, site-to-site VPN or another authenticated, encrypted route; resolve the receiving NAS IP/name.
6. Document the source folders, backup app versions, encryption keys, credentials, network port and a restore target that is separate from live data.
7. Test basic connectivity before creating a large backup: confirm the destination and its selected service are reachable.

For a home NAS at a relative’s property, allow time to establish VPN connectivity and remote administration safely before introducing automatic backups. A public IP address or DDNS hostname identifies a server; it does not make the connection secure by itself.

Network Design: Local First, Then an Off-Site NAS

HOME A (primary site)                    HOME B (remote site)
Synology / QNAP / UGREEN                  Synology / QNAP / UGREEN
Source: Photos + Documents               Destination: NAS-BACKUP-IN
     |                                         ^
     +---- private site-to-site VPN ----------+

Backup: every night, versioned where supported
Restore tests: monthly sample, quarterly full workflow

Local alternatives: same-LAN first seed or encrypted portable media

If the two NAS units are on the same local network, they can exchange data directly without a VPN. However, two devices in the same room share risks such as fire, theft, flooding and electricity faults. If the second NAS is meant to satisfy the off-site part of 3-2-1, it needs to be in another meaningful failure domain.

For Internet-linked sites, we recommend a private network tunnel and strict firewall rules rather than forwarding NAS admin interfaces, rsync port 873 or SSH directly to the public Internet. A VPN does not remove the need for separate credentials, patches and restricted services.

How to Back Up Synology to Another Synology NAS

For a Synology-to-Synology pair, Hyper Backup with Hyper Backup Vault is the intended vendor path for a versioned backup. It is preferable to file mirroring when you need to recover deleted or older files. Synology’s September 2026 Knowledge Center guidance uses the Remote NAS Device destination with Vault on the receiving NAS.

1. On the destination Synology, install Hyper Backup Vault from Package Center. Prepare the destination shared folder and the receiving account.
2. On the source Synology, install/open Hyper Backup; select the new-task Folders and Packages workflow and choose Remote NAS Device.
3. Enter the destination address and approved account credentials, then select the target shared folder or backup directory.
4. Select the source shared folders and any supported packages that genuinely need recovery. Check that application data is covered; not every service is backed up identically.
5. Enable suitable schedule, client-side encryption if required and available, integrity checking and retention/rotation of backup versions.
6. Run the first backup; then use Hyper Backup’s backup explorer to restore an older test file into a separate folder.

Synology says the remote Vault version should be the same or later than the compatible source Hyper Backup component as described in its current workflow. Hyper Backup multi-version repositories use Synology’s .hbk structure. They are not plain browsable copies: you recover through compatible Synology backup software or Hyper Backup Explorer. Record the encryption password securely before an actual disaster.

Source: Synology Knowledge Center: back up to a remote Synology system (updated September 2026).

How to Back Up Synology to QNAP Using rsync

This is a genuine documented cross-brand combination. QNAP’s specific July 2025 FAQ describes a Synology Hyper Backup → QNAP HBS 3 rsync server route, with SSH transfer encryption and a single-version rsync copy. The account and SSH setup in the QNAP example are unusually privileged, so keep this service off the public Internet and decide whether you are comfortable with the required access before deploying it.

1. On the QNAP receiver, install/open HBS 3 and go to Services > Rsync Server. Enable rsync, configure the approved receiving accounts and prepare a destination share.
2. Configure the QNAP SSH service and access permissions as required by QNAP’s documented encrypted rsync workflow; bind services only to interfaces that need them. Prefer LAN/VPN-only access.
3. On the Synology sender, open Hyper Backup and create a data-backup task with rsync copy (single-version) as destination.
4. Choose rsync-compatible server; turn on Transfer encryption; enter the QNAP address, SSH-accessible account and the expected path.
5. For QNAP’s published example, the backup module is an absolute path such as /share/Public, not necessarily a displayed rsync share name. Substitute the actual correct destination path on your QNAP.
6. Select source folders, schedule the job, run a small backup and verify the files on QNAP. Then restore a test item and confirm it opens.

Important limitation: Synology’s rsync copy (single-version) mode stores files in their normal folder structure but does not provide multi-version retention or Hyper Backup’s client-side encryption/compression options. The encrypted SSH transport protects data in transit, not the stored data at rest. Add separate protected snapshots on the receiving NAS where supported, or another versioned/offline backup, and verify how destination deletions are handled.

The QNAP FAQ uses an SSH-capable administrative account for its demonstrated setup. That is a vendor-documented compatibility detail, not a general recommendation to expose admin SSH. If you cannot confine the route to a secure network or accept those privileges, use another backup architecture rather than weaken your network.

Reference: QNAP: Synology-to-QNAP rsync procedure.

How to Back Up Synology to UGREEN NASync

UGOS Pro can act as an rsync server. On a UGREEN receiver, enable the service under Control Panel > File Service > Rsync, assign the backup account and ensure that the selected destination is writable. On the Synology source, Hyper Backup offers an rsync-compatible server destination in single-version or multi-version forms.

1. Create a destination folder and appropriate limited-permission account in UGOS Pro.
2. Enable UGREEN rsync and note the configured port (commonly 873 for the rsync daemon). Do not expose this service directly to the Internet.
3. From Hyper Backup, choose the rsync-compatible destination and set its server address, credentials and supported backup module/path.
4. Choose multi-version only if this particular Synology-to-UGREEN combination successfully negotiates and restores the resulting repository. Otherwise choose the verified single-version workflow plus independent retention.
5. Run a small test and verify both initial files and a restore from the resulting destination.

Do not assume that every Hyper Backup SSH option will work with UGREEN’s rsync daemon merely because both products mention “rsync”. Synology distinguishes rsync daemon mode (module selection) from remote shell mode (absolute path). They may use different authentication and encryption paths. The precise combination is firmware-dependent; use Synology’s destination guidance and UGREEN’s rsync instructions, and record which mode actually passed your restore test.

References: UGREEN: Enable rsync on UGOS Pro and Synology: Hyper Backup rsync destinations.

How to Back Up QNAP to Another QNAP NAS

For QNAP-to-QNAP, Hybrid Backup Sync (HBS 3) supports a remote-NAS backup using the proprietary RTRR receiving service. QNAP’s current quick-start guidance specifically notes that the receiving QNAP must have the relevant service enabled for that type of backup.

1. Install/update HBS 3 on both units and create a destination share on the receiving QNAP.
2. On the destination, open HBS 3 > Services and enable the required RTRR Server receiving service. Configure access and limit the reachable network.
3. On the source, use HBS 3 > Storage Spaces > Create > Remote NAS. Enter destination IP/host, port, account details and SSL/TLS settings supported by this connection; test.
4. Open Backup & Restore and create a New backup job that targets that storage space. Select the exact shares to protect.
5. Set schedule, version management, integrity checks and any applicable encryption/compression/deduplication policies.
6. Run and review the job report. Restore a file from a stored backup version to a temporary share.

Backups with version management or QuDedup can create a .qdff repository rather than ordinary readable files. That is not an error: use HBS 3 restoration or the supported QuDedup Extract Tool to access this format. If you need plain files for emergency recovery, explicitly create and test an appropriate compatible copy job rather than assuming a versioned archive will be browseable.

References: QNAP HBS 3 Quick Start Guide and QNAP: why versioned backup repositories may use .qdff.

How to Back Up QNAP to Synology or UGREEN

The receiving device needs an rsync-compatible service. This can be an efficient way to protect a QNAP media or documents share on a different-brand device, but note a trap: some QNAP cross-vendor tutorials explain a one-way sync operation. A sync job may not keep old versions when a file is deleted on QNAP.

1. On Synology, go to Control Panel > File Services > rsync, enable rsync and grant the destination account the required service and share permissions. Alternatively, on UGREEN, enable Control Panel > File Service > Rsync.
2. On QNAP, open HBS 3 > Storage Spaces > Create and choose Remote Rsync server. Select the rsync server type and enter the destination address, credentials and port.
3. Use Test Connection (and the optional speed test) before creating a job. QNAP’s QNAP-to-Synology FAQ notes that the receiving password can differ depending on whether encrypted rsync is selected.
4. Prefer an HBS Backup & Restore job where the remote storage type and required features are supported. If you must use one-way sync, ensure it is a suitable copy rather than a deleting mirror and provide separate versioned snapshots or another backup.
5. Verify on the receiving NAS that the expected directory tree exists, that it is recoverable with ordinary permissions, and that a later source deletion does not unexpectedly erase every usable version.

QNAP’s publicly documented QNAP-to-Synology example uses a sync job, not a promise of a versioned cross-brand HBS backup. Treat the above as a workflow and compatibility checklist, and choose a job type based on what your installed HBS version actually offers. Source: QNAP: rsync from QNAP to Synology.

How to Back Up UGREEN NASync to Synology, QNAP or Another UGREEN

UGREEN’s official guide applies to UGOS Pro firmware 1.18.0.0093 or later and current Sync & Backup app versions. The documented Back up this UGREEN NAS wizard can send data to an rsync or WebDAV file server, including a third-party NAS that offers the matching service.

1. On the destination, enable a receiving rsync or WebDAV service and create the target share, credentials and required permissions. For WebDAV use HTTPS with a trusted certificate rather than unsecured HTTP.
2. On the source UGREEN, open Sync & Backup > Back up & Restore; create a backup task and choose Backup this UGREEN NAS.
3. Choose rsync or WebDAV and provide the destination server address, protocol-specific port, username/password and encryption selection where supported.
4. Select the UGREEN source folders and the destination path. Check filters carefully so you do not silently exclude large videos or required file types.
5. Choose a schedule (daily, selected days or custom) and enable backup version policy with a defensible number of retained versions, where supported by the job.
6. Preview the settings, start the first backup, then view backup versions and restore sample files.

For UGREEN-to-UGREEN, the receiver can also enable UGOS Pro rsync directly using Control Panel > File Service. For UGREEN-to-Synology, configure Synology’s rsync service and the appropriate receiving account. For UGREEN-to-QNAP, configure HBS 3 rsync server. A visible rsync service does not guarantee every backup-version format, metadata attribute or encryption mechanism works identically across brands: test the actual restore before trusting the schedule.

Official steps: UGREEN: backup local NAS to another NAS and UGREEN: Back Up This UGREEN NAS.

Push or Pull Backup: Which Direction Is Safer?

A push backup starts at the primary NAS and writes to a remote receiver. It is convenient and widely supported, but the source holds working credentials for the target. A pull backup starts on the backup NAS, which reads source files and stores them locally; this can reduce the source’s ability to delete destination history if accounts and permissions are separated correctly.

Design	Advantage	Security trade-off	Typical fit
Source pushes to destination	Usually simplest, native scheduling on source	Compromised source may misuse stored destination credentials	Hyper Backup, HBS and UGOS Pro backup-this-NAS
Destination pulls from source	Destination controls retention and may restrict source to read-only	Receiver must safely store source credentials	UGREEN Backup Rsync Server or custom scheduled tooling
Source pushes to restricted receiving area + retained snapshots	Source can deliver new data but cannot alter protected history if implemented properly	Depends on destination snapshot ACL/immutability capabilities	Good layered design where supported

UGREEN specifically documents a Backup Rsync Server operation for pulling data from a remote rsync source to the local UGREEN. That is different from its Backup this UGREEN NAS push workflow. Choose the direction deliberately and verify read/write privileges before leaving a job unattended.

See UGREEN: back up an rsync server to a UGREEN NAS for the vendor’s receiving-side procedure.

What Should Be Backed Up? Folders Are Not the Whole NAS

The reliable starting point is the data that matters: documents, photos, original video, device exports and completed project files. Before you rely on a second NAS to replace a broken first NAS, distinguish user files from the configuration and runtime state of applications.

Data or service	Cross-brand file copy	What else may be needed
Documents, photos, shared folders	Usually straightforward with tested filenames/permissions	Restore old versions and verify checksums
Plex/Jellyfin libraries	Media files usually portable	Export server metadata and confirm mount paths
Docker containers	Volume data may be copyable	Consistent database dump, Compose config, secrets and image versions
Home Assistant	Manual copy of a running database is risky	Use application-native backup and a clean restore test
Virtual machines	Large image files are not necessarily crash-consistent	Hypervisor/application-aware backup
NAS snapshots and ACLs	Not automatically portable across vendors	Document folder permissions, owners and snapshot policies
Encrypted shares	A transferred ciphertext directory may not be directly recoverable	Export/decrypt appropriately and retain keys offline

For a database-backed service, take an application-consistent export or stop the relevant container/VM during the copy; do not assume a copy of files that are actively changing is complete. Follow the application’s supported backup method, then put its resulting archive into the NAS-to-NAS job.

Choose Between Plain Files and Versioned Backup Archives

Format	Typical example	Upside	What to document for recovery
Plain destination files	rsync single-version, compatible copy	Easy to browse on another OS	Deletion behaviour, ACLs, snapshots, encryption at rest
Synology backup repository	Hyper Backup .hbk	Multi-version, compression/encryption options	Hyper Backup/Explorer version and encryption password
QNAP managed backup repository	HBS .qdff with versioning/QuDedup	Versioning and potential space savings	HBS version or QuDedup Extract Tool
UGREEN scheduled backup with retention	UGOS Pro backup version policy	Older retained backup generations when supported	UGOS Pro/app version, restore procedure and remote access

The most dangerous assumption is that files visible on the destination mean the backup history is readable after the source NAS disappears. Test recovery on another machine or spare share. For Synology Hyper Backup rsync destinations, its documentation expressly distinguishes multi-version .hbk backups from single-version original-format files. For HBS, QNAP explains when .qdff repositories appear. Neither is inherently better in all circumstances; the correct choice is the one that matches your disaster-recovery workflow.

Schedule, Retention and Capacity: A Practical Example

Assume your primary NAS has 10TB of files but you want to protect only 4TB of irreplaceable data on the second NAS. You change about 30GB per week, with occasional large bursts when a photo archive is reorganised. The exact storage consumed by versions will depend on whether the software performs deduplication, compression, block-level increments or full file copies, so do not assume all vendors store historical versions with the same efficiency.

Primary NAS
  Photos/       2.5 TB
  Documents/    0.5 TB
  Projects/     1.0 TB
  MediaCache/   excluded

Secondary NAS
  NAS-BACKUP-IN/primary-nas/
  Daily backup: 02:00
  Retention aim: daily + weekly + monthly restore points
  Alert: any job failure; unexpected large deletion
  Restore tests: sample monthly, broader quarterly

A sample retention target might be 14 recent daily versions, eight weekly points and six monthly points. This is a planning idea, not an exact menu configuration guaranteed on each brand: Synology, QNAP and UGREEN have different retention controls. Increase capacity if your file churn or retention policy justifies it; check actual growth after the first few backups.

Include the power, replacement disks and monitoring of the second NAS in the total cost. For drive sizing, see 8TB vs 12TB vs 16TB vs 20TB NAS Drives.

How Fast Will a NAS-to-NAS Backup Be?

On a healthy 1GbE LAN, the theoretical maximum is 125MB/s before protocol overhead; sustained backup speed is often lower because of disk seeks, many small files, encryption, CPU load and file-system processing. Faster Ethernet helps mainly when both NAS storage systems and CPUs can keep up.

Path	Theoretical link rate	Planning implication
1GbE LAN	1Gb/s = 125MB/s before overhead	Large first copy often takes many hours
2.5GbE LAN	2.5Gb/s = 312.5MB/s before overhead	Can help multi-drive arrays or fast SSD pools
100Mb/s upload over Internet	100Mb/s = 12.5MB/s before overhead	Several TB can take days; schedule and rate-limit
30Mb/s upload over Internet	30Mb/s = 3.75MB/s before overhead	Consider an initial local seed or selective backup

A remote transfer is generally limited by the slower end of the path: the sender’s upstream bandwidth, receiver’s downstream, VPN throughput or disks. Do not buy a 10GbE switch solely to accelerate a backup over a 30Mb/s Internet link. If your first job is multiple terabytes, consider temporarily placing the two NAS devices on the same LAN for a supported first seed, then relocating the receiver—but only if your chosen application can reconnect to the same established repository without starting over. Test relinking before depending on this technique.

Network bottleneck diagnosis is covered in Slow NAS Transfers: Diagnose 1GbE, 2.5GbE and 10GbE Bottlenecks.

Security Checklist for a Second NAS

• Use VPN or another private encrypted link for remote connections. Do not expose rsync daemon port 873 or web administration broadly to the Internet.
• Give the backup task the least privileges that the chosen workflow supports. Where a vendor procedure requires elevated SSH rights, restrict its network surface and evaluate alternatives.
• Encrypt in transit as well as at rest where needed. SSH, WebDAV HTTPS and client-side backup encryption protect different parts of the threat model.
• Keep encryption/recovery keys and app installation instructions outside both NAS devices. Test those keys before disaster strikes.
• Give the receiving NAS its own identity and credentials, plus multi-factor authentication for administration where available.
• Use protected snapshots, retention locks or immutability where correctly supported, and maintain a disconnected/offline or separate cloud copy.
• Set error notifications for unreachable target, insufficient disk capacity, unusually large deletion/change and incomplete backup jobs.

Changing default ports is not a substitute for a VPN, firewall or patched NAS. Likewise, a backup directory with a long retention setting is not immutable if the source credentials can simply delete that directory or disable the retention policy.

How to Verify a Backup and Test Recovery

1. Create a tiny test folder with a document, an image, a long filename, a non-English filename and a deliberately modified text file.
2. Run the first backup; check the source size, completed job report, receiving free space and any skipped-file count.
3. Edit the test document and run a second backup; verify the intended previous version exists where versioning was selected.
4. Delete a test file from the source and run again. Confirm the older copy remains in a separately retained version or protected destination snapshot, if that is the protection you expect.
5. On a different device or temporary share, restore the earlier version without overwriting the source. Open the files and confirm the correct content.
6. If you used Synology .hbk or QNAP .qdff, perform the restore through the appropriate backup software rather than trying to open internal archive components by hand.
7. Finally, simulate loss of the source NAS: can you find credentials, connect to the target, install the recovery tool and recover the files from written instructions?

For QNAP HBS, use its Backup & Restore > Restore job workflow when the destination backup is not already linked to an existing job. Synology provides Hyper Backup Explorer and recovery workflows for supported repositories. Restore into a clean folder so the test cannot overwrite real work.

Troubleshooting: Common NAS-to-NAS Backup Problems

Symptom	Likely cause	What to check first
Connection refused or timed out	rsync/RTRR/WebDAV/SSH not enabled; firewall/VPN rule	Service enabled, exact port, route and destination IP
Authentication failed	Wrong rsync account versus OS/SSH account	Protocol-specific username/password and permitted access
Target share not listed	Missing folder permission or wrong rsync module	Destination share ACL and module/path mapping
QNAP-to-Synology encrypted rsync fails	Wrong receiving password type/mode	Follow QNAP’s encrypted versus unencrypted credential directions
Backup succeeds but no old versions	Single-version job or one-way mirror	Inspect retention/version management; create a new suitable job
Unexpected .hbk or .qdff files	Versioned repository format	Use Hyper Backup Explorer or HBS recovery tools
Job stalls or NAS slows down	Small files, busy disks, CPU, VPN or low bandwidth	Review throughput at both ends; avoid conflicting maintenance
Backup target fills early	Retention or file churn greater than planned	Review version history, excluded caches and target capacity
Folders restore but applications fail	No consistent app export; path/UID/ACL mismatch	Restore application-native backups and check mount paths

Do not fix a failed job by deleting its backup repository before confirming another working recovery copy exists. A corrupted or unreadable .hbk/.qdff archive may be your only retained history; investigate with the vendor’s documented recovery tools before removing it.

Which NAS Pairing Would We Choose?

Situation	Practical recommendation	Why
Two Synology boxes	Hyper Backup to Hyper Backup Vault	Most integrated backup and restore path
Two QNAP boxes	HBS 3 backup job to remote RTRR service	QNAP-native scheduling, versions and reporting
UGREEN as primary NAS	UGOS Pro Sync & Backup to an rsync-compatible receiver	Official cross-brand backup route; test versions
Synology source, QNAP receiver	Hyper Backup rsync copy over secured SSH, plus independent retention	Documented cross-brand route; single-version limitations
QNAP source, Synology receiver	HBS 3 rsync to Synology; verify backup vs sync job and old versions	Compatibility available, but avoid relying on a mirror alone
Remote family-member site	Low-power second NAS over private VPN, with scheduled backup	Separate building without cloud-only restore dependency

If you are buying the second box primarily for backups, favour stable software support, enough drive capacity, low power, recovery compatibility and straightforward administration over maximum CPU performance. A powerful NAS that you never maintain is a poor backup target. For the architectural choice, see Mini PC Plus NAS vs a NAS-Only Home Server.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Synology NAS back up directly to UGREEN or QNAP?

Yes, for appropriate shared-folder data using an interoperable rsync-compatible backup route. QNAP publishes a specific Synology-to-QNAP SSH/rsync procedure. With UGREEN, the underlying rsync service is documented, but validate your chosen Hyper Backup destination mode and restore behaviour on your exact firmware versions.

Does rsync automatically give me version history?

No. rsync is a transfer mechanism, not a retention policy. Whether older data survives depends on the NAS backup application, the job type and any independently retained destination snapshots. A one-way mirror can reproduce deletions quickly.

Can I restore a Synology .hbk backup without the original NAS?

A supported Synology Hyper Backup Explorer/Hyper Backup recovery path can read the repository when you also have the required credentials and, for encrypted repositories, the recovery password/key. Test on another computer before relying on this as your disaster plan.

Can I browse a QNAP .qdff repository as normal files?

Not reliably. QNAP explains that versioned HBS jobs may use .qdff format. Use HBS 3 restore or a supported QuDedup Extract Tool to retrieve files.

Do I need identical-size NAS units?

No. Size the second NAS for the selected protected dataset plus retained versions, headroom and growth. A 20TB primary NAS with only 5TB of irreplaceable content does not automatically require another 20TB NAS.

Is another NAS in the same room enough for 3-2-1?

It provides another device for some failures, but it does not satisfy the off-site protection goal. Place the receiver in another location or add an independent cloud/offline copy stored elsewhere.

Will this transfer Docker containers, Home Assistant and NAS settings?

Ordinary shared-folder copies are not guaranteed application-consistent. Create supported application-native backups and include those archives in the NAS backup job. Vendor-specific system settings may need separate exports and restoration procedures.

Bottom Line: Make Cross-Brand Backups Recoverable, Not Merely Reachable

The best NAS-to-NAS setup uses a verified common protocol, dedicated receiving storage, a repeatable schedule, retained versions when available and an independent security boundary. Synology Hyper Backup, QNAP HBS 3 and UGREEN Sync & Backup can each contribute to a robust design, but vendor feature sets are not interchangeable.

Start with a small folder, prove what happens when you modify and delete files, and complete a recovery test from an older backup generation. Only then scale the job to terabytes of family photos or business data. Keep a separate USB/cloud recovery path even after NAS-to-NAS backups are working.

Continue the NAS Backup Series

• A 3-2-1 NAS Backup Plan: USB Drive, Second NAS and Cloud
• Best External Hard Drives for NAS Backups
• NAS Drive Compatibility: What to Check on Synology, UGREEN and QNAP
• Remote NAS Access: Tailscale, WireGuard or the Manufacturer’s App
• 2.5GbE vs 10GbE at Home: Is the Upgrade Worth It?

Official Documentation and Further Reading

• Synology — Hyper Backup to another Synology (updated 18 September 2026)
• Synology — Hyper Backup technical specifications
• Synology — rsync destinations, backup modes and transfer encryption
• Synology — enabling the receiving rsync service
• QNAP — HBS 3 Quick Start Guide
• QNAP — Synology-to-QNAP rsync configuration
• QNAP — QNAP-to-Synology rsync configuration
• QNAP — HBS .qdff and version management
• QNAP — create a restore job from existing backup data
• UGREEN — Back Up a Local NAS to Another NAS (UGOS Pro)
• UGREEN — Backup This UGREEN NAS to rsync or WebDAV
• UGREEN — enabling rsync server
• UGREEN — pull backup from an rsync server