diff --git a/helperbot b/helperbot
index 45c0545..789bfb9 100755
--- a/helperbot
+++ b/helperbot
@@ -60,20 +60,21 @@ function detect_system {
 function base_system_upgrade {
     echo "${cyan}Upgrading base system.${normal}"
     echo "${blue}Doing standard apt upgrade...${normal}"
-    apt update | tee ${synth_upgrade_log}
-    apt upgrade -y | tee -a ${synth_upgrade_log}
+    apt update
+    apt upgrade -y
     echo "${blue}Try upgrading distro base...${normal}"
-    apt dist-upgrade -y | tee -a ${synth_upgrade_log}
+    apt dist-upgrade -y
     echo "${blue}Apt cleanup...${normal}"
-    apt clean | tee -a ${synth_upgrade_log}
+    apt clean
     echo "${green}Base system upgraded!.${normal}"
 }
 
 # docker container updates
-# reusable steps to update containers - upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "name_of_service_or_folder" "compose.yaml"
+# reusable steps to update containers - upgrade_docker_container [/srv/docker] [name_of_service_or_folder] [compose.yaml]
 function upgrade_docker_container {
     if [ -d "$1/$2" ]; then
-        cd "$1"/"$2" && docker compose -f "$1/$2/$3" pull # pull the container
+        # pull the container
+        cd "$1"/"$2" && docker compose -f "$1/$2/$3" pull
         docker compose -f "$1/$2/$3" down && docker compose -f "$1/$2/$3" up -d
     else
         echo "${red}docker:${normal} Folder $1/$2 does not exist."
@@ -81,9 +82,36 @@ function upgrade_docker_container {
 }
 
 # psql vacuuming
-# reusable step to vacuum databases - postgres_vacuum [user_and_db_name] [password]
+# reusable step to vacuum databases - postgres_vacuum [postgres-db-1] [user_and_db_name] [password]
 function postgres_vacuum {
-    docker exec -it postgres-db-1 /bin/bash -c "POSTGRES_PASSWORD="$2" psql -U "$1" -d "$1" -c 'VACUUM ANALYZE;'"
+    docker exec -it "$1" /bin/bash -c "POSTGRES_PASSWORD="$3" psql -U "$2" -d "$2" -c 'VACUUM ANALYZE;'"
+}
+
+# postgres_vacuum_self [postgres-db-1]
+function postgres_vacuum_self {
+    docker exec -it "$1" /bin/bash -c "psql -U postgres -c 'VACUUM ANALYZE;'"
+}
+
+# psql backup
+# reusable step to backup databases - postgres_backup [postgres-db-1] [user_and_db_name] [output_name] [$backup_working_directory]
+function postgres_backup {
+    docker exec "$1" /bin/bash -c "pg_dump "$2" --username "$2" > "$3".sql"
+    docker cp "$1":/$3.sql $4/$3/$3.sql
+    docker exec "$1" /bin/bash -c "rm "$3".sql"
+}
+
+# redis snapshot
+# tells redis to make a snapshot - redis_snapshot [whatever-redis-1]
+function redis_snapshot {
+    docker exec $1 redis-cli SAVE
+}
+
+# backup - create folder and copy
+# step that combines the process of making folders and copying files for backup 
+# backup_create_copy ["source files"] [subpath/to/folder] [$backup_working_directory]
+function backup_create_copy {
+    mkdir -p $3/$2
+    cp -r $1 $3/$2
 }
 
 # ╭───────────────────╮
@@ -178,12 +206,11 @@ fi
 # │ upgrade step │
 # ╰──────────────╯
 if [ -v synth_upgrade ]; then
-    timestamp=$(date +'%Y%m%d%H%M%S')
-    synth_upgrade_log=/tmp/upgrade-output-${timestamp}.txt
-    # phosphorus
-    if [ "$synth_current_system" = "phosphorus" ]; then
-        echo "${blue}upgrade:${normal} Running full system upgrade for ${green}${synth_current_system}${normal}."
-        echo "Upgrade will be logged into ${yellow}${synth_upgrade_log}${normal} if needed."
+    #timestamp=$(date +'%Y%m%d%H%M%S')
+    #synth_upgrade_log=/tmp/upgrade-output-${timestamp}.txt
+    echo "${blue}upgrade:${normal} Running full system upgrade for ${green}${synth_current_system}${normal}."
+    #echo "Upgrade will be logged into ${yellow}${synth_upgrade_log}${normal} if needed." # logging doesn't work properly - check on later
+    if [ "$synth_current_system" = "phosphorus" ]; then # phosphorus
         # apt/system related upgrade
         base_system_upgrade
         # docker
@@ -193,9 +220,124 @@ if [ -v synth_upgrade ]; then
         upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "pds" "compose.yaml"
         # done
         echo "${green}System upgrade finished! beep!~${normal}"
+    elif [ "$synth_current_system" = "neptunium" ]; then # neptunium
+        # apt/system related upgrade
+        base_system_upgrade
+        # docker
+        upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "mailserver" "compose.yaml"
+        upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "ejabberd" "compose.yaml"
+        upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "zitadel" "compose.yaml"
+        upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "forgejo" "compose.yaml"
+        upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "forgejo" "compose-runner.yaml"
+        upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "freshrss" "compose.yaml"
+        upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "vaultwarden" "compose-runner.yaml"
+        upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "ask-js" "compose.yaml"
+        # done
+        echo "${green}System upgrade finished! beep!~${normal}"
+    elif [ "$synth_current_system" = "cerium" ]; then # cerium
+        # apt/system related upgrade
+        base_system_upgrade
+        # docker
+        upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "redlib" "compose.yaml"
+        upgrade_docker_container "/srv/docker" "safetwitch" "compose.yaml"
+        # done
+        echo "${green}System upgrade finished! beep!~${normal}"
+        echo "${red}Rebooting system.${normal}"
+        sleep 1 && systemctl reboot
+    elif [ "$synth_current_system" = "synthnix" ]; then # synthnix
+        # apt/system related upgrade
+        base_system_upgrade
+        # done
+        echo "${green}System upgrade finished! beep!~${normal}"
     fi
 fi
 
+# ╭─────────────╮
+# │ backup step │
+# ╰─────────────╯
+if [ -v synth_backup ]; then
+    if [ -v synth_vacuum ]; then
+        echo "${yellow}NOTICE:${normal} You've also passed in the --vacuum command. Note that upgrading also automatically vacuums the databases beforehand."
+        sleep 1
+    fi
+    echo "${blue}backup:${normal} Running full system backup for ${green}${synth_current_system}${normal}."
+    if [ "$synth_current_system" = "phosphorus" ]; then # phosphorus
+        # variables
+        backup_local_folder=/srv/docker
+        backup_working_directory=/var/backups/phosphorus
+        backup_output_tar=phosphorus.tar
+        backup_media_output_tar=media_backups.tar # refers to the old local fedi media before s3 migration
+        # external files containing secrets
+        export $(grep -v '^#' /etc/secrets/b2.env | xargs)
+        export $(grep -v '^#' /etc/secrets/postgres.env | xargs)
+        # initial
+        mkdir -p $backup_working_directory
+        # database vacuuming
+        echo "${blue}Vacuuming postgres databases...${normal}"
+        postgres_vacuum_self postgres-db-1
+        postgres_vacuum postgres-db-1 misskey ${SHARKEY_POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
+        postgres_vacuum postgres-db-1 iceshrimp ${ICESHRIMP_POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
+        postgres_vacuum postgres-db-1 mastodon ${MASTODON_POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
+        # =============================================================================
+        # backup files - sharkey
+        echo "${blue}Pulling in Sharkey...${normal}"
+        mkdir -p $backup_working_directory/sharkey/.config
+        # database
+        postgres_backup postgres-db-1 misskey sharkey $backup_working_directory
+        # redis
+        redis_snapshot sharkey-redis-1
+        cp -r $backup_local_folder/sharkey/redis $backup_working_directory/sharkey
+        # configs, extra
+        cp -r $backup_local_folder/sharkey/compose.yaml $backup_working_directory/sharkey
+        cp -r $backup_local_folder/sharkey/.config $backup_working_directory/sharkey
+        # =============================================================================
+        # iceshrimp
+        echo "${blue}Pulling in Iceshrimp...${normal}"
+        mkdir -p $backup_working_directory/iceshrimp/config
+        # database
+        postgres_backup postgres-db-1 iceshrimp iceshrimp $backup_working_directory
+        # configs, extra
+        cp -r $backup_local_folder/iceshrimp/compose.yaml $backup_working_directory/iceshrimp
+        cp -r $backup_local_folder/iceshrimp/config $backup_working_directory/iceshrimp
+        # =============================================================================
+        # mastodon
+        echo "${blue}Pulling in Mastodon...${normal}"
+        mkdir -p $backup_working_directory/mastodon/.config
+        # database
+        postgres_backup postgres-db-1 mastodon mastodon $backup_working_directory
+        # redis
+        redis_snapshot mastodon-redis-1
+        cp -r $backup_local_folder/mastodon/redis $backup_working_directory/mastodon
+        # configs, extra
+        cp -r $backup_local_folder/mastodon/compose.yaml $backup_working_directory/mastodon
+        cp -r $backup_local_folder/mastodon/.config $backup_working_directory/mastodon
+        # =============================================================================
+        # pds
+        echo "${blue}Pulling in PDS...${normal}"
+        mkdir -p $backup_working_directory/pds
+        # there isn't a native way to "backup" the pds, so we shut it off and copy it
+        docker compose -f $backup_local_folder/pds/compose.yaml down
+        cp -r $backup_local_folder/pds/pds $backup_working_directory/pds
+        docker compose -f $backup_local_folder/pds/compose.yaml up -d
+        # configs, extra
+        cp -r $backup_local_folder/pds/compose.yaml $backup_working_directory/pds
+        # =============================================================================
+        # unset secrets
+        unset $(grep -v '^#' /etc/secrets/b2.env | sed -E 's/(.*)=.*/\1/' | xargs)
+        unset $(grep -v '^#' /etc/secrets/postgres.env | sed -E 's/(.*)=.*/\1/' | xargs)
+    elif [ "$synth_current_system" = "neptunium" ]; then # neptunium
+        postgres_vacuum_self postgres-db-1
+    elif [ "$synth_current_system" = "cerium" ]; then # cerium
+        postgres_vacuum_self postgres-db-1
+    elif [ "$synth_current_system" = "synthnix" ]; then # synthnix
+        # as synthnix doesn't really include much and serves as a place for members
+        # we just need to back up the home directory here
+        #
+        # WIP
+    fi
+    echo "${green}System backup finished! beep!~${normal}"
+fi
+
 #if [[ -v system_vacuum ]]; then
 #    echo "${yellow}NOTICE:${normal} You've also passed in the --vacuum command. Note that upgrading also automatically vacuums the databases beforehand."
 #    sleep 1