diff --git a/victoria-metrics/alerts.yml b/victoria-metrics/alerts.yml
index ae21f58..fb7a334 100644
--- a/victoria-metrics/alerts.yml
+++ b/victoria-metrics/alerts.yml
@@ -60,10 +60,43 @@ groups:
 - name: mdraid
   rules:
   - alert: mdraid missing disk
-    expr: collectd_md_md_disks{type="missing", instance!~"burp.*"} != 0
+    expr: collectd_md_md_disks{type="missing", instance!="chromie.pyrocufflink.blue"} != 0
   - alert: mdraid failed disk
     expr: collectd_md_md_disks{type="failed"} != 0
 
+- name: Backups
+  rules:
+  - alert: disks need swapped
+    expr:
+      time() - tlast_change_over_time(
+        (
+          collectd_md_md_disks{instance="chromie.pyrocufflink.blue", type="active"}
+          or last_over_time(collectd_md_md_disks{instance="chromie.pyrocufflink.blue", type="active"})[1d]
+        )[90d]
+      ) > 86400 * 30
+    annotations:
+      summary: The disks in the backup array need swapped
+      description: >-
+        The disks in the backup RAID-1 (mirror) array should be swapped
+        periodically. One disk should be online and mounted while the other
+        is stored in the fireproof safe.  Switching them ensures that even if
+        something happens to the active disk, such as hardware failure, power
+        surge, fire, or accidental `rm -rf`, the offline disk is only out of
+        date by a few weeks.
+  - alert: disk needs archived
+    expr:
+      sum(
+        collectd_md_md_disks{instance="chromie.pyrocufflink.blue", type=~"missing|spare"}
+      ) < 1
+    annotations:
+      summary: One of the disks in the backup array should be archived
+      description: >-
+        The disks in the backup RAID-1 (mirror) array should be swapped
+        periodically.  One disk should be online and mounted while the other
+        is stored in the fireproof safe.  All of the disks are currently
+        online; one needs to be disconnected and moved to the safe as soon as
+        possible.
+
 - name: certificates
   rules:
   - alert: certificate will expire soon