Summary

Nextcloud’s built-in backup solution is already excellent, offering local or remote BorgBackup repositories. However, it only allows one or the other — not both.
To follow the recommended 3-2-1 backup rule (3 copies of data, 2 types of storage, 1 off-site), Nextcloud should support two independent Borg repositories simultaneously: one local, one remote.

Problem

Currently, users must choose between:

• Local backups – fast and convenient, but not disaster-proof.
• Remote backups – off-site and secure, but slower and dependent on connectivity.

This setup leaves only two copies of data: the live server files and a single backup archive.
Nextcloud’s docs suggest workarounds like syncing or nesting Borg repos, but those are inefficient or risky:

• Copying/syncing repos can propagate corruption or ransomware.
• Creating a Borg repo inside another ("repo-in-repo") is complex and discouraged.

Borg itself recommends maintaining independent repositories to avoid data propagation and ID conflicts:

"If you want redundant repositories, create them separately with borg repo-create."
— BorgBackup FAQ

Proposed Enhancement

• Allow multiple backup destinations in Nextcloud’s Backup app: one local, one remote.
• Each destination should be initialized as an independent Borg repository (separate repo IDs/keys).
• Add simple restore-from selection in the UI (local or remote).
• Optionally include integrity checks (borg check) and per-destination status display.

Benefits

• Fulfills the 3-2-1 backup principle (see ISBA whitepaper)
• Increases protection against ransomware, corruption, and total data loss.
• Uses Borg’s native best practices instead of custom scripts.
• Keeps the UI simple while greatly improving resilience.

References

• Nextcloud Backup — Official Docs
• How to Back Up & Restore Nextcloud Using Borg
• BorgBackup FAQ — Multiple Repositories
• 3-2-1 Backup Strategy (ISBA)