Weekly Zigbee2MQTT Backup to SFTP Server

Overview

This workflow automates the weekly backup of your Zigbee2MQTT configuration. It triggers every Monday at 2:45 AM, sends a backup request to the Zigbee2MQTT bridge via MQTT, waits for the response containing a base64-encoded ZIP file, decodes it, and uploads the backup to an SFTP server. The workflow includes error handling to stop execution and log failures if anything goes wrong. This is ideal for home automation enthusiasts or administrators who want to ensure their Zigbee network configuration is safely archived off-site or on a central server.

Node Breakdown

• CRON Monday 2:45 am (scheduleTrigger) — No auth. Runs the workflow every Monday at 02:45 AM using the cron expression 45 2 * * 1. This ensures backups happen automatically without manual intervention.
• Send Zigbee2MQTT backup request (mqtt) — MQTT Client credentials (broker URL, port, username/password). Publishes the message getbackup to the topic zigbee2mqtt/bridge/request/backup. This triggers the Zigbee2MQTT bridge to generate a backup.
• MQTT Trigger - Backup Response (mqttTrigger) — MQTT Trigger credentials (same broker). Listens on the topic zigbee2mqtt/bridge/response/backup for the backup data. The trigger waits for a message and passes it to the next node.
• Parse JSON Object from Message Text (code) — No auth. Runs JavaScript to parse the incoming MQTT message, extracting the nested data field from the JSON payload. This isolates the base64-encoded ZIP content.
• Convert to File - base64 to binary (convertToFile) — No auth. Takes the zip property from the parsed JSON (which contains the base64 string) and converts it to a binary file. The output is a ZIP file ready for upload.
• SFTP zip file content (ftp) — SFTP credentials (username/password or private key). Uploads the generated ZIP file to the specified SFTP server path: zigbee_backups/zigbee_backup_{{ timestamp }}.zip. The filename includes a timestamp with colons replaced by underscores.
• Error Handler (stopAndError) — No auth. If any node above fails, this node stops the workflow with the message Workflow execution error. It acts as a safety net to prevent partial or corrupted backups.

Setup Instructions

1. SFTP Server: You need an SFTP server (e.g., a NAS, cloud VM, or any SSH‑enabled server). Create a user account and note the host, port, username, and password/private key. In n8n, configure an SFTP credential with these details.
2. MQTT Broker: You need a running MQTT broker (e.g., Mosquitto). The workflow connects to the same broker that your Zigbee2MQTT instance uses. In n8n, create an MQTT credential with broker URL, port, username, and password.
3. Zigbee2MQTT: Ensure your Zigbee2MQTT bridge is accessible via MQTT and that it supports the backup request feature (Zigbee2MQTT must be running and connected to the same broker).
4. n8n Configuration: Import this workflow into your n8n instance. Update the SFTP path if needed, and verify the cron schedule matches your desired backup day/time (currently Monday 2:45 AM).
5. Test: Run the workflow manually once to confirm the backup process completes without errors. Check your SFTP server for the uploaded ZIP file.

Use Cases & Variations

• Home Automation Backup: Regularly archive Zigbee network configuration to recover from device failures or coordinator changes.
• Off-Site Redundancy: Replace the SFTP node with a cloud storage node (e.g., Google Drive, AWS S3) for off‑site backups.
• Notification on Success/Failure: Add a Telegram or email node after the SFTP upload to inform you of backup completion or errors.
• Multiple Backup Destinations: Chain additional FTP nodes to send the backup to multiple locations.
• Different Schedule: Change the cron expression to run daily, or at a specific time on multiple days (e.g., 0 3 * * 1,5 for Monday and Friday).

{
  "nodes": [
    {
      "name": "SFTP zip file content",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.ftp",
      "position": [
        1520,
        680
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "path": "=zigbee_backups/zigbee_backup_{{ new Date().toISOString().replaceAll(':','_') }}.zip",
        "protocol": "sftp",
        "operation": "upload"
      },
      "credentials": {
        "sftp": {
          "name": "SFTP Zigbee Backups"
        }
      },
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "id": "baa114b6-43be-461e-9c00-eca4bf11f82a",
      "notes": "This ftp node performs automated tasks as part of the workflow."
    },
    {
      "name": "CRON Monday 2:45 am",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
      "position": [
        860,
        440
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "rule": {
          "interval": [
            {
              "field": "cronExpression",
              "expression": "45 2 * * 1"
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      "typeVersion": 1.1,
      "id": "d8749285-9436-4381-b9d0-fdce91f059bc",
      "notes": "This scheduleTrigger node performs automated tasks as part of the workflow."
    },
    {
      "name": "Send Zigbee2MQTT backup request",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.mqtt",
      "position": [
        1040,
        440
// ... truncated (copy to see full JSON)