How to Back Up Your Arma Reforger Server

To back up your Arma Reforger server, capture config.json, the profile folder, and your modlist before any change you might want to roll back. The LPV5 panel inside LoafHub at hub.loafhosts.com includes on-demand and scheduled backups, with a per-server backup limit, an automatic retention policy that deletes unlocked backups after a set number of days, and a Lock option to keep any backup forever, so you can take a snapshot manually or have one created automatically every day. This guide covers what to back up, how to take snapshots in LPV5, how to restore, and why off-site copies still matter.

What to Back Up on a Reforger Server

An Arma Reforger server is mostly stateless on boot, but a few things are not, and those are exactly what a backup must capture. The core list is small: your config.json, the profile folder, and your modlist. The profile folder is where persistent scenarios (such as Conflict campaigns running with the Persistence System) keep their state, where logs live, and where ban lists are written.

Tip: Back up config.json before any config change you might want to undo

Tip: Back up the profile folder for any scenario using the Persistence System

Tip: Back up your modlist so you can rebuild it exactly even if you lose the file

Note: Most vanilla scenarios are stateless: they reset on restart and do not need a save backup

Note: Conflict and Game Master use different save formats, so always restore on the same scenario you backed up from

Take an On-Demand Backup in LPV5

An on-demand backup is the right call before any risky change: editing config.json, swapping mods, changing scenarios, or applying a Reforger update. The LPV5 panel takes the snapshot while the server is running, so you do not need to plan downtime around it.

1. Sign in to LoafHub at hub.loafhosts.com
2. Open your Arma Reforger server in the LPV5 panel
3. Open the Backups section
4. Click Create Backup to take an on-demand snapshot
5. Wait for the snapshot to complete and appear in the list
6. Label the backup with a clear name like pre-mod-update or pre-config-change

Tip: Always take an on-demand backup before adding or removing mods

Tip: Take one before editing config.json so you can roll back if a typo breaks the server

Schedule Automatic Backups

Scheduled backups are the safety net that catches the changes you forgot to snapshot. In LPV5, recurring backups live on the Schedules page, where you automate commands, backups, and power actions. You create a schedule, set the day and time, and add a task with the Backup action.

1. Open the Schedules section in LPV5
2. Create a new schedule, or start from the Daily Backup template
3. Set the day and time, for example daily during a quiet hour
4. Add a task with the Action set to Backup, then save the schedule
5. Confirm the next-run time

How many copies are kept is governed by the server’s backup limit and the retention-days policy, which auto-deletes unlocked backups after a set number of days. Lock any backup you want to keep permanently.

Tip: Schedule a daily backup at a low-traffic hour so the snapshot does not coincide with peak play

Tip: Lock the backups you want to keep so the retention policy does not prune them

Tip: The retention policy and backup limit keep the list trimmed automatically, so you do not fill your storage

Restore from a Snapshot

Restoring a backup in LPV5 reverts the server files to the state captured at that point. Use it when a config change broke the boot, a mod update broke a scenario, or a Conflict campaign you wanted to preserve was wiped.

1. Stop the server from the LPV5 Console tab
2. Open the Backups section and find the snapshot you want to restore
3. Click Restore on that backup
4. Confirm the restore
5. Start the server from the Console tab and watch the boot log
6. Verify your config, modlist, and scenario state look right

Warning: Restoring overwrites the current files; take a fresh backup of the current state first if you might want to come back to it

Warning: Restore on the same scenario you backed up from; cross-scenario saves are not compatible

Off-Site Copies for the Worst-Case

Backups stored on the same panel as the server protect you from most incidents, but for total peace of mind, keep an off-site copy of config.json and your modlist. Both are tiny files, and a copy in your own Git repo or cloud storage means you can rebuild a server even if your account is unavailable.

Tip: Keep a Git repo with config.json and a text list of your mod IDs

Tip: Re-export it whenever you make a meaningful change

Tip: For larger persistent worlds, periodically download a panel backup to your own drive; each backup has a built-in Download button in the Backups list, so off-site copying is one click

Note: A modlist text file plus a working config.json is enough to rebuild a Reforger server on any host in minutes

Backup Hygiene That Saves Headaches

Good backup discipline costs nothing and pays off the first time you need it. The pattern is simple: snapshot before risky changes, schedule a regular safety-net snapshot, label clearly, and test a restore at least once so you know it works.

Tip: Always snapshot before mod, config, or scenario changes

Tip: Label backups with what you were about to change

Tip: Test a restore on a quiet day so you trust the process under pressure

Tip: Delete obviously stale backups so the list stays scannable

Frequently Asked Questions

What files should I back up on a Reforger server?

config.json, the profile folder (saves, logs, ban lists), and your modlist. config.json holds all your server settings, the profile folder holds persistent scenario state, and the modlist lets you rebuild your Workshop loadout.

Does LoafHosts include automatic backups for Arma Reforger?

Yes. The LPV5 panel in LoafHub includes both on-demand and scheduled backups, with an automatic retention policy and a Lock option to keep any backup forever. You can take a snapshot manually before risky changes or set a recurring schedule on the Schedules page.

Can I take a backup while the server is running?

Yes for the on-demand snapshot in LPV5. For maximum integrity on a Conflict server with active persistence, it is still cleanest to stop the server briefly before snapshotting so the save is fully flushed.

How do I restore a Reforger backup?

Stop the server from the LPV5 Console tab, open the Backups section, find the snapshot, click Restore, and start the server back up. Always take a fresh snapshot of the current state first in case you need to revert the revert.

Are Reforger save files compatible across versions?

Not always. Save files may not be compatible across different Arma Reforger versions, and Conflict and Game Master use different formats. Restore on the same version and scenario you backed up from when possible.

Should I keep off-site backups too?

For critical servers, yes. Keep at least config.json and your modlist in your own cloud storage or Git repo. They are tiny files, and they let you rebuild quickly if anything happens to the host.

How often should I run scheduled backups?

Daily is a sensible default. Pick a quiet hour so the snapshot does not collide with peak play, and keep a rolling 7-day set if storage allows so you can roll back a bad change that went unnoticed.