Getting Started with Next PAL Nexus

Prerequisites

• PostgreSQL 12 or higher
• Linux server with SSH access
• Root or sudo privileges
• At least 10GB free disk space

Step 1: Create Your Account

Sign up for a free Next PAL Nexus account at /signup. No credit card required for the free tier.

Step 2: Add Your First Server

1. Navigate to Servers in the dashboard
2. Click Add Server
3. Enter your server details:
   • Server name (e.g., "Production DB")
   • Hostname or IP address
   • SSH port (default: 22)
   • SSH username
4. Upload your SSH key or generate a new one
5. Click Test Connection to verify

Step 3: Install pgBackRest

Next PAL Nexus can automatically install pgBackRest on your server:

1. Go to Server Settings
2. Click Install Software
3. Select pgBackRest
4. Click Install and wait for completion

Step 4: Configure Your First Backup

1. Navigate to Backups → New Backup
2. Select your server
3. Choose backup type:
   • Full - Complete database backup
   • Differential - Changes since last full
   • Incremental - Changes since last backup
4. Configure retention policy (e.g., keep 7 daily, 4 weekly)
5. Click Create Backup

Step 5: Schedule Automated Backups

1. Go to Schedules → New Schedule
2. Set up your backup schedule:
   • Full backup: Weekly (Sunday 2 AM)
   • Differential: Daily (2 AM)
   • Incremental: Every 4 hours
3. Enable notifications for failures
4. Save and activate

Step 6: Verify Your Backups

Always test your backups to ensure they work:

1. Navigate to Backups
2. Select a recent backup
3. Click Verify
4. Review the verification report

Next Steps

• Set up Point-in-Time Recovery for granular restore options
• Configure Alerts for backup failures
• Add more servers to your infrastructure
• Explore Analytics to monitor backup health