A NAS provides local storage redundancy, but local redundancy alone does not protect against fire, flood, theft, or ransomware that encrypts your NAS drives. Cloud backup provides the offsite copy in the 3-2-1 backup model: 3 copies of data, 2 different media types, 1 offsite. This guide covers configuring NAS-to-cloud backup on both Synology (Hyper Backup) and QNAP (Hybrid Backup Sync), choosing between Backblaze B2, Synology C2, and Wasabi, and managing the cost and NBN upload performance constraints that affect Australian users.
In short: For Synology: use Hyper Backup with Backblaze B2 as destination. Cheapest per-GB, Hyper Backup has native B2 support. For QNAP: use Hybrid Backup Sync with Backblaze B2 (S3-compatible) or Wasabi. Enable client-side encryption before the first backup. Initial backup speed is limited by your NBN upload. Plan for the first run to take days for large libraries.
Why Cloud Backup (Not Cloud Sync)
Cloud backup and cloud sync are different things:
- Cloud backup (this guide): One-directional copy of NAS data to cloud storage. Versioned. Keeps multiple snapshots. If you accidentally delete a file or ransomware encrypts your NAS, you can restore a previous version from cloud. The cloud copy is isolated from what happens on the NAS
- Cloud sync (not this guide): Bidirectional sync. Changes on either side propagate to the other. If ransomware encrypts your NAS, the encrypted files sync to cloud. Provides no ransomware protection
For offsite data protection, you want backup (versioned, isolated) not sync. Hyper Backup and Hybrid Backup Sync are both backup tools, not sync tools. Correctly named for this purpose.
Cloud Provider Comparison
NAS Cloud Backup Provider Comparison
| Backblaze B2 | Synology C2 | Wasabi | Amazon S3 Standard | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per GB/month | ~$0.006 USD (~$0.009 AUD) | ~$0.023 AUD (varies by plan) | ~$0.0088 USD (~$0.013 AUD) | ~$0.023 USD (~$0.035 AUD) |
| Egress fees | Free (for Backblaze CDN partners) | Included | None | $0.09/GB USD. Expensive |
| Minimum storage billing | None | Plan-based | 1TB minimum | None |
| Synology Hyper Backup support | Yes. Native | Yes. Native | Yes. S3 compatible | Yes. Native |
| QNAP HBS support | Yes. S3 compatible | No | Yes. S3 compatible | Yes. Native |
| Data centre location | US (Sacramento/Phoenix) | EU/US (no APAC) | US primary | Multiple incl. ap-southeast-2 (Sydney) |
| Best for | Most home users. Best value | Synology users who prefer native integration | Larger volumes, no egress | Enterprise/compliance. Expensive for home use |
Synology: Configure Hyper Backup to Backblaze B2
Backblaze B2 setup for Hyper Backup:
- Create Backblaze account at backblaze.com. Under Buckets, create a new bucket (Private, no Object Lock)
- Under App Keys, create an Application Key: select Read and Write for your bucket specifically. Note the Key ID and Application Key. They are shown once only
- In DSM, open Hyper Backup → + → Data backup task → Backblaze B2
- Enter Key ID and Application Key. Select your bucket. Set a folder prefix for this NAS's backup (useful if multiple NAS units share a bucket)
- Select shared folders to back up. Enable Client-side encryption with a strong passphrase
- Set schedule (daily, off-peak hours) and retention policy (minimum 30 versions for ransomware resilience)
- Run initial backup manually
QNAP: Configure Hybrid Backup Sync to Backblaze B2
QNAP's Hybrid Backup Sync uses the S3-compatible API for Backblaze B2:
- Create Backblaze account, bucket, and Application Key as above
- In QTS, open Hybrid Backup Sync (install from App Center if not present)
- Click Create → Backup job
- Source: select shared folders on the NAS
- Destination: select Amazon S3-Compatible Service
- Endpoint:
s3.us-west-004.backblazeb2.com(check your bucket's S3-compatible endpoint in the Backblaze console) - Access Key: your Backblaze Key ID. Secret Key: your Application Key
- Bucket: select your B2 bucket
- Enable Encrypt backup data
- Set schedule and complete wizard
Hybrid Backup Sync uses the S3 API, which is slightly less optimised for B2 than Hyper Backup's native B2 connector, but works reliably.
Managing the Initial Backup on NBN
The initial cloud backup is the hardest part. Time estimates at common NBN speeds:
- 500GB data at 20Mbps upload (NBN 100): ~56 hours (~2.3 days running continuously)
- 1TB data at 20Mbps upload: ~111 hours (~4.6 days)
- 2TB data at 20Mbps upload: ~222 hours (~9 days)
- 1TB data at 50Mbps upload (NBN 1000/FTTP): ~44 hours (~1.8 days)
Strategies for large initial backups:
- Run the initial backup continuously over 1-2 weeks in off-peak hours (11 PM, 7 AM). Most schedulers support a time window
- Start with the most critical data (documents, photos) and add media (video archives) afterward
- Backblaze B2 offers Fireball (physical drive seeding service) for very large initial uploads. Not cost-effective for typical home use but worth knowing about for 10TB+ libraries
Once the initial backup is complete, daily incrementals are small (only changed files) and run quickly.
🇦🇺 Australian Users: Cost Estimates and CGNAT Notes
Monthly cloud backup cost estimates (AUD, March 2026):
- 500GB → Backblaze B2: ~$4.50/month
- 1TB → Backblaze B2: ~$9/month
- 2TB → Backblaze B2: ~$18/month
- 1TB → Wasabi: ~$13/month (1TB minimum billing regardless)
- 1TB → Synology C2 (1TB plan): approximately $24-48/month AUD depending on plan
Backblaze B2 is the best value option for most Australian home users. Wasabi becomes cost-effective at 2TB+ where its flat pricing and no-egress model works in your favour. Synology C2 is convenient but noticeably more expensive per GB.
CGNAT: Cloud backup is outbound-only. CGNAT does not affect it. Your NAS initiates the connection to cloud storage; no inbound port is needed. CGNAT only affects inbound connections (remote access to your NAS). Cloud backup works on any NBN connection regardless of CGNAT status.
See the 3-2-1 backup strategy guide for how cloud backup fits into a complete data protection plan, and the Backup Storage Calculator for cost and capacity estimates.
Related reading: our NAS buyer's guide, our 3-2-1 backup guide, and our NAS vs cloud storage comparison.
Use our free Cloud vs NAS Cost Calculator to compare cloud storage against owning a NAS.
Does cloud backup use a lot of internet bandwidth?
The initial backup uses significant upload bandwidth. See the time estimates above. Ongoing daily incremental backups are much smaller. Typically 1-10GB of changed data per day for a home NAS, which takes minutes to hours depending on upload speed. To avoid saturating your connection during the day, schedule backup to run during off-peak hours (overnight). Most NBN plans have no off-peak data distinction, so the scheduling is about minimising impact on other household users rather than data cost.
Is Backblaze B2 secure for sensitive personal data?
Backblaze B2 itself is a legitimate, audited cloud storage provider. However, the security of your data depends on whether you enable client-side encryption in Hyper Backup or Hybrid Backup Sync. With client-side encryption enabled, your data is encrypted before it leaves the NAS. Backblaze sees only encrypted ciphertext and cannot access your files. Without client-side encryption, your files are visible to Backblaze. Always enable encryption for personal data backup. Store the encryption passphrase in your password manager, not on the NAS itself.
How long does it take to restore from Backblaze B2?
Restore speed from Backblaze B2 is limited by your NBN download speed and the size of the restore. At 100Mbps download: 1TB restores in approximately 22 hours. For most disaster recovery scenarios, you would restore critical files first (documents, photos) and then larger media separately. Hyper Backup and Hybrid Backup Sync both support selective file restore. You don't have to download the entire backup to recover specific folders. Egress from B2 is free for the first 3× stored monthly data, then $0.01/GB. A full 1TB restore is free if your stored data is 333GB or more.
Can I use both local and cloud backup simultaneously?
Yes. And you should. The 3-2-1 backup model recommends it: local copy (your NAS drives), local backup (USB drive attached to NAS), and cloud backup (offsite). On Synology, create two Hyper Backup tasks. One pointing to a USB drive, one pointing to Backblaze B2. Run them on different schedules. On QNAP, create two Hybrid Backup Sync jobs similarly. The local backup provides fast restore for common scenarios (accidental deletion); cloud provides protection against local disasters.
Does cloud backup protect against ransomware?
Yes, if versioning is configured correctly. Ransomware encrypts files on your NAS. The encrypted versions are what gets backed up next. But with 30+ backup versions retained, you can restore from a version that predates the ransomware encryption. Configure your retention policy to keep at least 30 days of versions. Some ransomware lies dormant for weeks before encrypting. Longer retention provides more protection. Additionally, Backblaze B2's Object Lock (if enabled on the bucket) makes backup versions immutable, preventing even a compromised NAS from deleting backup history.
Estimating your backup storage costs and how much cloud space you need? The Backup Storage Calculator shows required capacity and monthly cost across providers.
Backup Storage Calculator →