Synology DSM. Impossible to configure automatic backup.

[jlpouffier]

The problem

Issue 1
The documentation is pretty thin on backups as of today.
It's basically a single line here

After a few tries on DSM side, I managed to make the option pop in the config entry option flow (It's never documented anywhere you need to configure something on the option flow btw)

Issue 2
backup_path field is mandatory (Why is it not translated by the way? this_is_a_very_technical_way_of_displaying_a_field_name) but I have no idea what to input to create backups at the root of the share.
I tried /, and ..

Nothing works, the results is always the same:

Logs show almost nothing

2025-01-30 15:49:01.846 ERROR (MainThread) [homeassistant.components.backup] Upload failed for synology_dsm.20A0RLRNYFRHE: Failed to upload backup

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

2025.2.0b1

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

Not applicable. New feature

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant OS

Integration causing the issue

synology_dsm

Link to integration documentation on our website

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/synology_dsm/

Diagnostics information

No response

Example YAML snippet

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

2025-01-30 15:49:01.846 ERROR (MainThread) [homeassistant.components.backup] Upload failed for synology_dsm.20A0RLRNYFRHE: Failed to upload backup

Additional information

No response

[home-assistant]

Hey there @hacf-fr, @Quentame, @mib1185, mind taking a look at this issue as it has been labeled with an integration (synology_dsm) you are listed as a code owner for? Thanks!

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[mib1185]

Hi @jlpouffier

1. you're right, the docs needs to be improved
   the options flow is only needed, when you've already an config entry - usually the backup settings will be configured during config-flow.
2. indeed the translations are missing for the options-flow (they are already there for the config-flow)
3. please enable debug logging for both the integration as well as the lib

[joostlek]

Can we add better checks in the options flow to make sure the path we want to write to exists and that we can be confident that the config is correct?

[mib1185]

at the moment, the path will be created if not exist - checking the existence of the path would need further efforts in the lib to implement such a function, but would be possible.

[mib1185]

btw. the backup path is a relativ path on the selected shared folder, so no prefixing with . or / is neccessary

[joostlek]

I think having data_descriptions here would be nice to tell what to do, as in should you do /something or something, or what if you want to leave it empty

[mib1185]

these are the backup related strings - they need to be also referenced in the options-flow strings

core/homeassistant/components/synology_dsm/strings.json

Lines 24 to 33 in 773375e

	"backup_share": {
	"title": "Synology DSM: Backup location",
	"data": {
	"backup_share": "Shared folder",
	"backup_path": "Path"
	},
	"data_description": {
	"backup_share": "Select the shared folder, where the automatic Home-Assistant backup should be stored.",
	"backup_path": "Define the path on the selected shared folder (will automatically be created, if not exist)."
	}

[Mariusthvdb]

my Synology backup was just created successfully, but I cant remember seeing an option to chose a dedicated folder....
its just going to the shared folder I created in the network storage config, and which pops up in the backup locations

[mib1185]

missing translations for options-flow will be fixed with #136931 (suggestions for improvements are welcome!)

[mib1185]

@Mariusthvdb with the upcoming 2025.2 you will be able to use the Synology as a backup location, without the need to add it as a network drive to HA

[Mariusthvdb]

o but I am in the 2025.2 beta, and didnt see it s an option ( I have my Synology integration set up), so I figured Id add it as a share....

let me see how to get it in there without that

update

found it (thanks Joost), under the configure button of the Synology integration ...

[mib1185]

• documentation improvements -> Improve backup location related parts in Synology DSM docs home-assistant.io#37212

[Mariusthvdb]

nice. if I may make 2 suggestions:

• add an example of a subfolder on the selected share with the correct syntax and characters for the folder selection
• would be great if all core Backup location providers would be linked in the Backup documentation too.

[piitaya]

Is there a way to put the backups are the root level of the share folders (no path)?

[mib1185]

Is there a way to put the backups are the root level of the share folders (no path)?

not at the moment - the backup path is mandatory, so one can store backups of multiple instances on the same nas

• add an example of a subfolder on the selected share with the correct syntax and characters for the folder selection

an example has been added to home-assistant/home-assistant.io#37212

[mib1185]

Hi @jlpouffier
the documentation has been improved and the translation strings got fixed. Would be great if you could have another look into this.
Thx 👍

[KNXBroker]

btw. the backup path is a relativ path on the selected shared folder, so no prefixing with . or / is neccessary

Made the same mistake and entered a prefix, which will not be noticed until backup fails. Can this be corrected anyhow automatically? Best regards

[mib1185]

The synology_dsm documentation has been massively improved about the backup topic, this also contains now examples how to setup the backup function and how to define the backup path

[Mariusthvdb]

still having massive issues with the Synology option, and breaking backup completely as a consequence. I reported it in the #beta channel on Discord at https://discord.com/channels/330944238910963714/427516175237382144/1336228026849169483 and following

cut it short:
Ha breaks on the network share, that is no longer there, and does not create any backup on any of the other configured locations.
None of the interfaces to Synology display the drive connection, that is currently asleep/offline, but it also shows 0 backups available (which is not the case, as all of the older backups are still around)

It does show the DSM in the backup locations which was configured via the integration , but it does Not show it was configured in the config flow, nor is the option available now (as the DSM is still asleep)

Paul mentions it probably still has the formerly configured network share in the backend somewhere not being cleaned up. But the enduser has no means of seeing that anywhere.

As I just found out:it seems the integrations creates an actual folder (configured in the path) and it does not use the manually created folder with the exact same name. So we can not point it to an existing folder in the share?

[mib1185]

The network share based backup is not related to the Synology DSM integration. The network drive is managed by the Supervisor and independent on any specific integration, it is based on common network share protocols like cifs or nfs.

[Mariusthvdb]

yes, I am aware,.
However, my current setup is using the backup option of the Synology integration.

the config flow does not show the configured backup option, when the Synology is asleep.
It would be much clearer if it would show it, but with a warning it's currently not available/offline.

Why I got the error I got is still unclear, as it cant have originated the previously configured network share, as that too was no longer configured...

What did happen is clear however: the backup process was completely broken, and no backups were created, in any of the configured locations.

[EinSchwerd]

I just updated to version 2025.2. I have Synology DSM integration installed from earlier but backing up to Synology does not show up in the backup section. I can't see anything suspicious in the logs. What am I missing?