Blog · 12 November 2026 · 6 min read
Backing up a local AI: what to save and how to get going again
After a few months of use a local AI contains far more than the installed programs: the document archive, the conversations, the custom-built assistants, the connections to email and folders. If the machine breaks down, all of this can be recovered only if there is a properly made backup.
In short: the backup must cover the whole machine, not just the documents: archive, conversations, assistants, automations, configurations and models. It must be automatic and encrypted, on an external disk that is always connected. In the event of a fault you start again on a new computer within a few hours, without rebuilding the system from scratch. Against theft and fire you need a second disk kept in another place.
What needs to go into the backup?
The whole computer, not just the files. The original documents usually already exist elsewhere (in the shared folders, on Google Drive, in the email): what exists only on the AI machine is the work built up over time.
| What | Why it matters | If it is lost |
|---|---|---|
| Document archive and index | It is what allows the AI to answer about your data | Everything has to be reloaded and reprocessed |
| Conversations and accounts | History of each person's work | Cannot be recovered |
| Assistants and instructions | The company's way of working, refined over time | It has to be rewritten from memory |
| Automations and connections | Synchronisation with folders, email, management system | It has to be reconfigured |
| Configurations | Permissions, private network, model settings | Hours of technical work |
| Models | Large files, tens of GB each | They can be downloaded again, but it takes time |
The documentation for Open WebUI, the chat interface, is clear on this point: conversations, users, settings and uploaded files are in a single data folder, separate from the program, and that is the one to be backed up regularly. The models downloaded with Ollama, on the other hand, are in a separate folder.
Tip: the models are the only part that can always be downloaded again. If space on the backup disk is short, they are the first thing that can be excluded, bearing in mind that the restore will take a few hours longer.
Does the backup start by itself? And how often?
Yes, it must start by itself: a backup that depends on a person's memory will sooner or later be missed. The frequency is decided together, because the more copies are kept, the more space is needed.
On a Mac the tool is Time Machine, included in the system. With the default settings it keeps one copy for each hour of the last 24 hours, one a day for the last month and one a week for the previous months. After the first copy it saves only what has changed, and when the drive is full it deletes the oldest copies by itself. Apple recommends a backup drive at least twice the size of the Mac's, used only for this.
On a Linux server the same result is achieved with a scheduled backup program, which copies the data to a separate drive every night and keeps the versions from previous days.
For a machine holding models of tens of GB, the practical choice is about how far back you want to be able to go: one week, two, a month. Whoever installs the system has to size the drive according to that answer.
Is the backup encrypted?
It has to be, because it contains a complete copy of the company's data. An unprotected external drive sitting next to the computer can be read by anyone who walks off with it.
- The backup disk is encrypted with a dedicated password: without it, the contents are unreadable. Apple describes this as the best way to protect Time Machine copies.
- The computer's disk must be encrypted too (FileVault on a Mac), otherwise the backup is protected and the original is not.
- Password and recovery key stay with the company, kept somewhere other than the computer and the disk. If both are lost, the backup can no longer be opened: nobody, not even the supplier, can recover it.
If the computer breaks down completely, what happens?
You start again on a new machine from the backup drive, without reinstalling and reconfiguring everything by hand. It takes a few hours, mostly to copy the models.
On a Mac the procedure is this:
- The new Mac is switched on and the backup drive is connected.
- During first-time setup, the system offers to transfer the data from a Time Machine backup.
- Programs, accounts, files, folders and settings are brought across. Apple states that the transfer can take several hours.
- You check that chat, archive, connections and private network are responding, and the automations are switched back on.
On a Linux server the route is different but the principle is the same: the system is reinstalled, the data folder is restored and the services are restarted. For Open WebUI the documentation describes the procedure: stop the program, put the copy of the data back, restart.
Please note: a backup is also needed before updates. If a new version of the interface changes the data format, going back to the previous version is not enough: you have to restore the copy made before the update.
What a backup does not do
A drive connected to the computer protects against breakdowns, not against everything. Four limits:
- Theft, fire, flooding. If the disk sits next to the machine, it suffers them along with it. You need a second disk kept elsewhere, for example at the owner's home, to be swapped periodically with the one in the office.
- The time between one backup and the next. You lose whatever was done after the last copy: usually not much, but not zero.
- The hardware. The backup saves the data; it does not replace the broken computer: repair times or delivery times for a new machine depend on the manufacturer and the warranty.
- A backup that has never been tested. Until a test restore has been done, you don't know whether it works. It should be done at least once, at handover.
Against power surges and outages, an uninterruptible power supply is also useful, as it gives the machine time to shut down in an orderly way: a small, one-off expense.
Backup in our projects
When we install a local AI, on site and throughout Italy, the backup is part of the handover: dedicated drive, automatic encrypted copy of the whole machine, password and recovery key in the company's hands. We decide together how far back to keep the copies and leave written steps for starting again on a new machine, so that another technician can follow them too.
The backup drive and the uninterruptible power supply are bought separately and remain yours, like the computer. You will find the full picture on the Local AI for businesses page and the cost items in the cost guide. For an estimate based on your situation, write to us.
About the author: Dabryx
Dabryx is an Italian software house that installs local AI in companies, on site across Italy, on servers or Macs. The basic installation starts at €2,900, hardware not included, and consulting at €100 per hour. The office is in Rocca Priora, near Rome.
We also install local AI in Rome, Milan, Parma and Reggio Emilia, and we develop custom management systems and custom software.
Frequently asked questions
If the local AI computer breaks down, do I lose everything?
No, if there is a backup of the whole machine. Archive, conversations, assistants, automations and configurations are restored onto a new computer in a few hours. Only what was done after the last copy is lost.
Is saving the documents enough?
No. The documents usually already exist elsewhere. What needs protecting is the work built on the machine: document index, conversations, assistants, connections and settings.
Is a cloud backup needed?
It is not necessary. An encrypted external drive, always connected, covers breakdowns. For theft and fire, a second encrypted drive kept in another place and swapped periodically is enough, so the data never leaves the company.
How big does the backup drive need to be?
For Time Machine, Apple recommends at least twice the capacity of the Mac. With models of tens of GB it is worth being generous: more space means being able to go further back in time.
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