Version v1.0.3-rc.2

Proton Drive integration documentation

Integration Package: Proton Drive

Introduction

This integration allows you to snapshot and restore Proton Drive data using Plakar to store it in a Kloset store, while minimizing storage usage and ensuring strong data security. It includes a Storage Connector that lets you persist snapshots to Proton Drive itself, either from Proton Drive or from other sources. A Viewer is also provided to inspect, search, and restore snapshots without requiring full extraction.

Use cases:

  • Cold backup of Proton Drive folders
  • Long-term archiving and disaster recovery
  • Portable export and vendor escape to other platforms

Target technologies:

  • Supported versions: All Proton Drive accounts supported by Rclone
  • Supported editions: Personal and Business Proton Drive
  • System compatibility: macOS, Linux, Windows via Rclone

Requirements:

  • Plakar version: >=1.0.3
  • Integration version: 0.1.0
  • Proton Drive API credentials configured in Rclone

Architecture

                                Viewer (CLI/UI)
                                  ↑
Proton Drive ← Source Connector → Kloset Store ←→ Storage Connector → Proton Drive
                                  ↓
                   Proton Drive ← Destination Connector → Other compatible resources

Components provided:

  • Source Connector: extract data from Proton Drive
  • Destination Connector: restore snapshots to Proton Drive
  • Storage Connector: persist snapshots inside Proton Drive as the backend
  • Viewer: browse and search snapshots in UI/CLI

Installation

Prerequisites

This integration is distributed as an Rclone-powered connector. You only need Plakar and Rclone installed.

Install Rclone: https://rclone.org/install/ Configure your Proton Drive remote: https://rclone.org/protondrive/

1rclone config

After you can install it in a few seconds using Plakar’s built-in tooling.

Install the package:

Run the following command to install the integration:

1plakar pkg add rclone

This will generate a portable .ptar archive and install it in your Plakar environment.

Verify installation:

Check that the integration appears in your available connectors:

1plakar pkg

You should now see the rclone.

Configuration

Once Rclone is configured, import it into Plakar.

Source Connector

To import your rclone config as a source connector (to make backups), run:

1rclone config show myprotondrive | plakar source import

Destination Connector

To import your rclone config as a destination connector (to restore backups), run:

1rclone config show myprotondrive | plakar destination import

Storage Connector

To import your rclone config as a storage connector (to store backups in Dropbox), run:

1rclone config show myprotondrive | plakar store import

Replace myprotondrive with your Rclone remote name.

Usage

For the following examples, we will use @myprotondrive as the Rclone remote name configured in Plakar.

First, create a Kloset store to hold your snapshots:

1plakar at ./backup create

A folder named backup will be created in the current directory, which will hold the snapshots.

Snapshot

To back up your Proton Drive data in the recently created Kloset store, use:

1plakar at ./backup backup @myprotondrive

The last line of the output will show the snapshot ID, which you can use to inspect or restore later.

Inspection

You can inspect your snapshots without extracting them. List or display the contents of the Kloset store:

1plakar at ./backup ls
2plakar at ./backup cat <snapshot-id>:/path/to/file
3plakar at ./backup ui

Restore

To restore a snapshot back to Proton Drive, use:

1plakar at ./backup restore -to @myprotondrive <snapshot-id>

This will restore the snapshot to your Proton Drive account, preserving its original structure.

Storage

To use Proton Drive as a storage backend, create a Kloset store that uses the Proton Drive remote:

1plakar at @myprotondrive create

This will create a Kloset store in your Proton Drive cloud, usable like any other Kloset store.

Integration-specific behaviors

Limitations

  • Proton Drive API has rate limits, heavy usage may require throttling
  • Only the latest version of files are snapshotted
  • Shared links and permissions are not preserved in snapshots

Automation

  • Schedule snapshots using cron or systemd timers
  • Use .ptar archives for export/transport

Restore Notes

  • Can restore into Proton Drive or export to S3, filesystem, or other Plakar-compatible destinations

Troubleshooting

  • Use plakar log and Rclone logs for diagnosis
  • Ensure Proton Drive remote is authorized

Backup strategy

Follow 3-2-1 best practice:

  • 3 copies (original + 2 backups)
  • 2 different storage backends
  • 1 offsite (Proton Drive, filesystem, or S3)

Appendix