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+# ZTNet Docker Backup & Restore Guide
+
+This guide explains how to use the backup script for your ZTNet Docker Compose setup.
+
+## Overview
+
+The backup script creates compressed archives of your ZTNet installation, including:
+- PostgreSQL database volume
+- ZeroTier configuration and data
+- Docker Compose configuration file
+- Backup metadata and system information
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- Docker and Docker Compose installed
+- Bash shell
+- Sufficient disk space for backups
+- Running ZTNet Docker Compose setup
+
+## Installation
+
+1. Download the `backup.sh` script to your ZTNet directory (where `docker-compose.yml` is located)
+
+2. Make the script executable:
+```bash
+chmod +x backup.sh
+```
+
+## Creating a Backup
+
+### Manual Backup
+
+Run the backup script manually:
+
+```bash
+./backup.sh
+```
+
+The script will:
+1. Stop all Docker containers
+2. Create compressed backups of volumes
+3. Save the docker-compose.yml file
+4. Generate backup metadata
+5. Create a single tar.gz archive with timestamp
+6. Clean up old backups (keeps last 5)
+7. Restart all containers
+
+### Backup Output
+
+Backups are stored in the `./backup` directory with timestamps:
+
+```
+./backup/
+  ├── ztnet_backup_20241129_143022.tar.gz
+  ├── ztnet_backup_20241129_120000.tar.gz
+  └── ztnet_backup_20241128_090000.tar.gz
+```
+
+Each backup file contains:
+- `postgres-data.tar.gz` - PostgreSQL database
+- `zerotier.tar.gz` - ZeroTier configuration
+- `docker-compose.yml` - Docker Compose configuration
+- `backup_info.txt` - Backup metadata
+
+### Automated Backups with Cron
+
+To schedule automatic backups, add a cron job:
+
+```bash
+# Edit crontab
+crontab -e
+
+# Add one of these lines:
+
+# Daily backup at 2 AM
+0 2 * * * cd /path/to/ztnet && ./backup.sh >> /var/log/ztnet-backup.log 2>&1
+
+# Weekly backup on Sunday at 3 AM
+0 3 * * 0 cd /path/to/ztnet && ./backup.sh >> /var/log/ztnet-backup.log 2>&1
+
+# Every 6 hours
+0 */6 * * * cd /path/to/ztnet && ./backup.sh >> /var/log/ztnet-backup.log 2>&1
+```
+
+**Important:** Replace `/path/to/ztnet` with the actual path to your ZTNet directory.
+
+## Restoring from Backup
+
+### Step 1: Stop Running Containers
+
+```bash
+docker compose down
+```
+
+### Step 2: Extract Backup Archive
+
+```bash
+# Create temporary directory
+mkdir -p restore_temp
+
+# Extract the backup (replace TIMESTAMP with your backup date)
+tar -xzf backup/ztnet_backup_TIMESTAMP.tar.gz -C restore_temp
+```
+
+Example:
+```bash
+tar -xzf backup/ztnet_backup_20241129_143022.tar.gz -C restore_temp
+```
+
+### Step 3: Restore PostgreSQL Volume
+
+```bash
+docker run --rm \
+  -v ztnet_postgres-data:/data \
+  -v $(pwd)/restore_temp:/backup \
+  alpine tar xzf /backup/postgres-data.tar.gz -C /data
+```
+
+### Step 4: Restore ZeroTier Volume
+
+```bash
+docker run --rm \
+  -v ztnet_zerotier:/data \
+  -v $(pwd)/restore_temp:/backup \
+  alpine tar xzf /backup/zerotier.tar.gz -C /data
+```
+
+### Step 5: Restore Docker Compose Configuration (Optional)
+
+```bash
+# Backup current configuration first
+cp docker-compose.yml docker-compose.yml.backup
+
+# Restore from backup
+cp restore_temp/docker-compose.yml .
+```
+
+### Step 6: Clean Up Temporary Files
+
+```bash
+rm -rf restore_temp
+```
+
+### Step 7: Start Containers
+
+```bash
+docker compose up -d
+```
+
+### Step 8: Verify Restoration
+
+```bash
+# Check container status
+docker compose ps
+
+# Check logs
+docker compose logs -f
+```
+
+## Complete Restore Script
+
+For convenience, here's a complete restore script:
+
+```bash
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Check if backup file is provided
+if [ -z "$1" ]; then
+    echo "Usage: ./restore.sh backup/ztnet_backup_TIMESTAMP.tar.gz"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+BACKUP_FILE="$1"
+
+if [ ! -f "$BACKUP_FILE" ]; then
+    echo "Error: Backup file not found: $BACKUP_FILE"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Stopping containers..."
+docker compose down
+
+echo "Extracting backup..."
+mkdir -p restore_temp
+tar -xzf "$BACKUP_FILE" -C restore_temp
+
+echo "Restoring PostgreSQL volume..."
+docker run --rm \
+  -v ztnet_postgres-data:/data \
+  -v $(pwd)/restore_temp:/backup \
+  alpine tar xzf /backup/postgres-data.tar.gz -C /data
+
+echo "Restoring ZeroTier volume..."
+docker run --rm \
+  -v ztnet_zerotier:/data \
+  -v $(pwd)/restore_temp:/backup \
+  alpine tar xzf /backup/zerotier.tar.gz -C /data
+
+echo "Cleaning up..."
+rm -rf restore_temp
+
+echo "Starting containers..."
+docker compose up -d
+
+echo "Waiting for services..."
+sleep 5
+
+echo "Checking status..."
+docker compose ps
+
+echo "Restore completed!"
+```
+
+Save as `restore.sh`, make executable with `chmod +x restore.sh`, and use:
+
+```bash
+./restore.sh backup/ztnet_backup_20241129_143022.tar.gz
+```
+
+## Backup Management
+
+### View Backup Information
+
+Extract and view the backup info without restoring:
+
+```bash
+tar -xzf backup/ztnet_backup_TIMESTAMP.tar.gz backup_info.txt -O
+```
+
+### List All Backups
+
+```bash
+ls -lh backup/
+```
+
+### Check Backup Size
+
+```bash
+du -sh backup/*
+```
+
+### Manual Cleanup
+
+The script automatically keeps the last 5 backups. To manually delete old backups:
+
+```bash
+# Delete specific backup
+rm backup/ztnet_backup_20241128_090000.tar.gz
+
+# Delete all backups older than 30 days
+find backup/ -name "ztnet_backup_*.tar.gz" -mtime +30 -delete
+```
+
+## Transferring Backups
+
+### Copy to Remote Server
+
+```bash
+# Using SCP
+scp backup/ztnet_backup_TIMESTAMP.tar.gz user@remote:/path/to/backups/
+
+# Using rsync
+rsync -avz backup/ user@remote:/path/to/backups/
+```
+
+### Upload to Cloud Storage
+
+```bash
+# AWS S3
+aws s3 cp backup/ztnet_backup_TIMESTAMP.tar.gz s3://your-bucket/ztnet-backups/
+
+# Google Cloud Storage
+gsutil cp backup/ztnet_backup_TIMESTAMP.tar.gz gs://your-bucket/ztnet-backups/
+```
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Backup Script Fails
+
+1. Check Docker is running:
+   ```bash
+   docker ps
+   ```
+
+2. Check disk space:
+   ```bash
+   df -h
+   ```
+
+3. Check script permissions:
+   ```bash
+   ls -l backup.sh
+   ```
+
+### Restore Fails
+
+1. Ensure containers are stopped:
+   ```bash
+   docker compose down
+   docker compose ps
+   ```
+
+2. Check volume names match:
+   ```bash
+   docker volume ls | grep ztnet
+   ```
+
+3. Verify backup file integrity:
+   ```bash
+   tar -tzf backup/ztnet_backup_TIMESTAMP.tar.gz
+   ```
+
+### Services Don't Start After Restore
+
+1. Check logs:
+   ```bash
+   docker compose logs
+   ```
+
+2. Check volume permissions:
+   ```bash
+   docker volume inspect ztnet_postgres-data
+   docker volume inspect ztnet_zerotier
+   ```
+
+3. Try removing and recreating volumes:
+   ```bash
+   docker compose down -v
+   # Then restore again
+   ```
+
+## Best Practices
+
+1. **Test Restores Regularly** - Verify backups work before you need them
+2. **Store Backups Off-Site** - Keep copies on different servers or cloud storage
+3. **Monitor Backup Size** - Ensure sufficient disk space
+4. **Document Restore Process** - Keep this README accessible
+5. **Automate Backups** - Use cron for regular scheduled backups
+6. **Keep Multiple Versions** - The script keeps 5 backups by default
+7. **Verify After Restore** - Always check services are working properly
+
+## Security Notes
+
+- Backup files contain sensitive data (database, configurations)
+- Store backups securely with appropriate permissions
+- Consider encrypting backups if storing remotely
+- Restrict access to backup directory
+
+## Support
+
+For issues or questions:
+- Check Docker logs: `docker compose logs`
+- Review backup_info.txt in backup archives
+- Verify Docker and Docker Compose versions
+- Check ZTNet documentation
+
+## License
+
+This backup script is provided as-is for use with ZTNet installations.
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