How to configure a backup server in an upstream block?
To configure a backup server in Nginx, add the "backup" parameter to a server in the upstream block, ensuring it only receives traffic when all other servers are unavailable. 1. Define the backup server using the syntax "server
To configure a backup server in an upstream block using Nginx, you basically just need to add the backup
parameter to the server you want to designate as the backup. This tells Nginx to only send traffic to that server if all the other servers in the upstream group are unavailable.
Here’s how you can actually do it and what to watch out for.
Basic Syntax and Setup
The simplest way to define a backup server is by including the backup
keyword after the server address in your upstream block. Here's a basic example:
upstream backend { server 192.168.0.10; server 192.168.0.11 backup; }
In this case, Nginx will send requests to 192.168.0.10
first. If that server goes down or becomes unreachable, Nginx will automatically route traffic to 192.168.0.11
.
- The
backup
flag ensures that server only receives traffic when no other non-backup servers are available. - You can have multiple servers, with one or more marked as backups.
Make sure your syntax is correct — a missing semicolon or typo can break your config.
Combining with Other Server Parameters
You can combine the backup
flag with other parameters like weight
, max_fails
, and fail_timeout
. For example:
upstream backend { server 192.168.0.10 weight=3; server 192.168.0.11 max_fails=3 fail_timeout=30s; server 192.168.0.12 backup; }
- The
weight
parameter defines relative load distribution. -
max_fails
andfail_timeout
control how many failed attempts Nginx allows before marking a server as down.
Just keep in mind:
- A backup server won’t be used even if it has a higher weight.
- Once a backup server becomes active, it’ll stay active until the main servers come back online.
Testing and Monitoring
After setting up your upstream block, always test your configuration before reloading Nginx:
- Run
nginx -t
to check for syntax errors. - Use
curl
or a browser to hit your endpoint and see which server responds. - Simulate failures by stopping or blocking access to the primary server and verify that the backup kicks in.
Also consider monitoring:
- Server response times
- Availability status
- Failover logs (
/var/log/nginx/error.log
often shows useful info)
You might also set up health checks (like with Nginx Plus or third-party modules) to get real-time insights into which server is active.
When Not to Use Backup
Using a backup server isn't always the best approach. For example:
- In active-active setups where you want to balance load across all servers, not just use one as fallback.
- If you're using cloud-based auto-scaling, where adding/removing instances dynamically makes static backup definitions less relevant.
- In environments with high availability requirements, relying on a single backup may not provide enough redundancy.
In those cases, you’re better off using different load balancing strategies like least_conn
, ip_hash
, or round-robin without any backup flags.
That's pretty much how it works. It's straightforward but easy to misconfigure, especially if you mix it with other directives. Just make sure your logic aligns with how Nginx interprets the upstream rules.
The above is the detailed content of How to configure a backup server in an upstream block?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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