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Connecting Shade

This guide explains how to connect Shade cloud storage to Pluton for storing your backups.

Prerequisites​

  • A Shade account - Sign up here (includes 20 GB free storage)
  • Your Shade API Key and Drive ID from your account settings

About Shade​

Shade is an AI-powered cloud NAS designed for media and creative workflows. It offers natural-language search, file sharing, and scalable storage. Each Shade drive is configured separately, so you'll need the API key and Drive ID for the specific drive you want to use.

Getting Your Shade Credentials​

Step 1: Get Your API Key​

  1. Log into your Shade account at app.shade.inc
  2. Navigate to Account Settings
  3. Copy your API Key

Step 2: Get Your Drive ID​

  1. In your Shade account, go to Drive Settings for the drive you want to use
  2. Copy the Drive ID
info

Each Shade drive has its own Drive ID. If you want to back up to multiple drives, create a separate Pluton storage configuration for each one.

Connecting to Pluton​

Step 1: Add Storage​

  1. In Pluton, navigate to Storages
  2. Click Add Storage button
  3. Select Shade from the provider list

Step 2: Configure Connection​

Fill in the required fields:

  • Storage Name: A friendly name (e.g., "Shade Media Drive")
  • Drive ID: The Drive ID from your Shade drive settings
  • API Key: Your Shade API Key from account settings

Step 3: Test and Save​

  1. Click Test Connection to verify your credentials
  2. If successful, click Save
  3. Your Shade storage is now ready for backup plans

Common Issues​

Authentication Failed: Verify that both the API Key and Drive ID are correct. Ensure the API key has access to the specified drive.

Drive Not Found: Double-check the Drive ID. Each drive has a unique ID — make sure you're using the correct one.

File Naming Conflicts: Shade is case-insensitive. Files like "Photo.jpg" and "photo.jpg" are treated as the same name. Ensure your backup source doesn't contain case-only filename conflicts.

Limitations​

  • Shade is case-insensitive — you cannot have two files that differ only in letter casing within the same folder
  • File and folder names are limited to 255 characters
  • Deleting files is permanent — there is no trash or recycle bin
  • Modification timestamps are not writable — file times cannot be preserved
  • Hash-based verification is not available

Best Practices​

  • Create a dedicated Shade drive for Pluton backups to keep them separate from other files
  • Be aware that deletes are permanent — enable Pluton's snapshot retention to protect against accidental data loss
  • If you need to back up to multiple Shade drives, create a separate storage entry in Pluton for each drive
  • Monitor your Shade storage usage since the free tier provides 20 GB