Simple Network Backup Public beta
Apple Silicon beta

Backup you can prove.

SNB protects workstation folders with encrypted recovery points, verification evidence, and a guided restore path.

Not just backed up. Proven recoverable.

Beta downloads

Choose this Mac’s role

Install the Desktop / Target on the Mac that owns the backup destination. Install the Remote Agent on each Mac whose selected folders should be protected.

Backup destination

SNB Desktop / Target

Manage protected devices, backup destinations, recovery history, verification, and restores from the target Mac.

  • Apple Silicon only
  • macOS 12 or newer
  • Local, external, or mounted storage

SHA-2565286a8ee9d821018c05c74746fbcacada998be70d3535e96ccc87338e2f97cb0

Download Desktop / Target

Version 0.4.1 public beta · 24.4 MiB · 12 August 2026 · visible version status and dedicated fleet management

Protected workstation

SNB Remote Agent

A visible Mac app for enrollment, folder selection, schedules, connection status, and encrypted backup to an SNB target.

  • Apple Silicon only
  • macOS 12 or newer
  • Internet required for managed enrollment

SHA-2568288d4817ce7cd5c5605c3bc3a5453b72d6dc9ba7638af11b6f9057fb986b216

Download Remote Agent

Version 0.4.1 beta 1 · 5.4 MiB · 12 August 2026 · prominent version status and verified autonomous updates

Evaluation release

Read this before using the beta

Not your only backup. Preserve at least one independent backup that SNB cannot alter, and test restoring from it.

No production assurance. This beta has no uptime, support-response, data-recovery, compatibility, or durability guarantee.

Expect change. Enrollment, storage formats, settings, and upgrade procedures may change before a stable release.

Use appropriate test data. Do not use the beta for regulated, legally preserved, safety-critical, or irreplaceable data until its suitability has been independently reviewed.

Prerequisites

Before you start

Plan the restore first. A completed job is useful only when its recovery point can be read and restored.

What you need

  • An Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or later) running macOS 12 or newer. Intel Macs are unsupported.
  • A separate destination with enough free capacity for retained recovery points.
  • Reliable power and networking during the first backup and restore test.
  • Administrator approval to install; Full Disk Access only when selected folders require it.

Safe first run

  1. Protect a small, non-critical test folder.
  2. Wait for backup and zero-error verification evidence.
  3. Restore to a new, empty folder—not over the source.
  4. Open and compare the restored files before expanding coverage.

Security and privacy

Know the boundaries

SNB separates central connection coordination from backup storage and recovery authority.

Designed to stay private

  • Backup content is designed to be encrypted by the source before remote transfer.
  • The central service coordinates enrollment and peer discovery; it is not the backup repository.
  • The central service is designed not to receive repository root secrets, backup decryption keys, plaintext paths, or plaintext backup payloads.
  • Remote agents are not given deletion, retention, or storage-administration authority.

What SNB still handles

  • The service processes bounded connection metadata needed for enrollment, authentication, abuse controls, and troubleshooting.
  • The apps access only folders you select, plus macOS-protected credentials and their application state.
  • Anyone with access to an unlocked Mac or its recovery credentials may be able to restore protected data.
  • Encryption does not replace endpoint security, operating-system updates, access control, or an independent backup.

Authenticity check

Verify before installing

Each release includes its exact SHA-256 checksum and Apple signing information. Confirm that the value calculated on your Mac exactly matches the value shown beside that release. Stop if Gatekeeper reports an unidentified, altered, revoked, or unnotarized package.

Optional Terminal verification shasum -a 256 "/path/to/downloaded/file" pkgutil --check-signature "/path/to/downloaded/package.pkg" spctl --assess --verbose=4 --type install "/path/to/downloaded/package.pkg"

Known limitations

This is not a full-system backup

Current product limits

  • Selected files and folders only; no bootable clone, bare-metal restore, or macOS system recovery.
  • No Intel Mac, Windows, Linux, mobile, or NAS agent.
  • No application-consistent backup guarantee for active databases or virtual machines.
  • No ransomware detection or immutable-storage guarantee.
  • Desktop 0.4.1 displays its installed version and latest-release state prominently and checks signed updates at startup.
  • Desktop and Agent verify the central service protocol and supported version range before depending on it.

Remote beta limits

  • A target Mac must remain available with adequate destination storage.
  • Internet outages, sleep, firewalls, and changing networks can delay backup and verification.
  • Initial transfers may be large and may consume metered bandwidth.
  • SNB 0.4 remains compatible with the prior 0.2 and 0.3 v1 control and relay protocol; unsupported future versions fail safely with an explanation.
  • The first 0.4 Agent installation needs administrator approval. Later service-listed Agent updates can use the restricted verified updater.
  • Full Disk Access still requires local user approval or an organization-managed macOS privacy profile.
  • Exact tested features and unresolved issues will be listed with each published beta build.