diff --git a/.version b/.version
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea710ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.version
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1.2
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fb45856..a54a416 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # ARK: Survival Evolved Linux Server Tools
 
+This tool allows you to manage any ARK: Survival Evolved linux server without having to remember long commands.  
+It provides a lot of features, to get the full list check the **Commands** section on the bottom of this page.
+
 ## Pre-requisites
 
 To install ARK Server Tools you must have already installed **SteamCMD** following this guide:
@@ -10,25 +13,7 @@ We assume you have created the `steam` user to store steamcmd and your ARK serve
 
 ## Requirements
 
-### Increase max open files
-
-Edit /etc/sysctl.conf and set:
-```
-fs.file-max=100000
-```
-Edit /etc/security/limits.conf and set these limits:
-```
-* soft nofile 100000
-* hard nofile 100000
-```
-Add the following line to `/etc/pam.d/common-session` (Debian/Ubuntu) or `/etc/pam.d/system-auth` (RHEL/CentOS/Fedora):
-```
-session required pam_limits.so
-```
-
-After these edits, you'll need to restart your bash session or reconnect to your SSH shell to make the changes effective.
-
-### Open firewall ports
+To allow your ARK server to communicate with the outside you have to open some ports in your firewall:
 
 ```sh
 iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 27016 -j ACCEPT
@@ -82,7 +67,7 @@ arkmanager install
 To get a complete list of the script commands you can run `arkmanager --help` or `arkmanager -h`.
 
 #### arkmanager install
-installs arkmanager to the directory specified in `.arkmanager.cfg`
+installs arkmanager to the directory specified in `/etc/arkmanager/arkmanager.cfg` or `~/.arkmanager.cfg`.
 
 #### arkmanager start
 starts ARK server
@@ -99,12 +84,21 @@ manually updates ARK server if a new version is available
 #### arkmanager forceupdate
 Apply update without check the current version
 
+#### arkmanager safeupdate
+Waits for server to perform world save and then updates.
+
 #### arkmanager status
 Get the status of the server. Show if the process is running, if the server is up and the current version number
 
 #### arkmanager checkupdate
 Check if a new version of the server is available but not apply it
 
+#### arkmanager upgrade
+Check for a new ARK Server Tools version and upgrades it if needed
+
+#### arkmanager backup
+Saves a backup of your server inside the backup directory
+
 ## Credits
 
 Original author of arkmanager: LeXaT
diff --git a/netinstall.sh b/netinstall.sh
index ce21d88..8814143 100644
--- a/netinstall.sh
+++ b/netinstall.sh
@@ -4,19 +4,20 @@
 # Net Installer, used with curl
 #
 
+channel=${2:-master} # if defined by 2nd argument install the defined version, otherwise install master
+
 # Download and untar installation files
 cd /tmp
-curl -L -k -s https://github.com/FezVrasta/ark-server-tools/archive/master.tar.gz | tar xz
+curl -L -k -s https://github.com/FezVrasta/ark-server-tools/archive/${channel}.tar.gz | tar xz
 
 # Install ARK Server Tools
-cd ark-server-tools-master/tools
+cd ark-server-tools-${channel}/tools
 chmod +x install.sh
 sh install.sh $1 > /dev/null
 
 status=$?
 
-# Remove the installation files
-rm -rf /tmp/ark-server-tools-master
+rm -rf /tmp/ark-server-tools-${channel}
 
 # Print messages
 case "$status" in
diff --git a/tools/arkmanager b/tools/arkmanager
index 0129bc3..c6f87fa 100755
--- a/tools/arkmanager
+++ b/tools/arkmanager
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ info=""
 thejob=""
 instver=""
 bnumber=""
-timestamp=$( date +%T )
 GREEN="\\033[1;32m"
 RED="\\033[1;31m"
+YELLOW="\\e[0;33m"
 NORMAL="\\033[0;39m"
+maxOpenFiles=100000
 
 arkmanagerLog="arkmanager.log"  # here are logged the actions performed by arkmanager
 arkserverLog="arkserver.log"    # here is logged the output of ShooterGameServer
@@ -47,6 +48,48 @@ arkserverLog="arkserver.log"    # here is logged the output of ShooterGameServer
 # functions
 #---------------------
 
+#
+# timestamp
+#
+timestamp() {
+  date +%T
+}
+
+#
+# check configuration and report errors
+#
+checkConfig() {
+  # SteamCMD configuration
+  # steamcmdroot
+  if [ ! -d "$steamcmdroot" ] ; then
+    echo -e "[" "$RED" "ERROR" "$NORMAL" "]" "\tYour SteamCMD root seems not valid."
+  fi
+  # steamcmdexec
+  if [ ! -f "$steamcmdroot/$steamcmdexec" ] ; then
+    echo -e "[" "$RED" "ERROR" "$NORMAL" "]" "\tYour SteamCMD exec could not be found."
+  fi
+  # steamcmd_user
+  if ! getent passwd $steamcmd_user > /dev/null 2>&1 ; then
+    echo -e "[" "$RED" "ERROR" "$NORMAL" "]" "\tYour SteamCMD user is not valid."
+  fi
+
+  # Environment configuration
+  # arkserverroot
+  if [ ! -w `echo "$arkserverroot" | sed 's:/[^/]*$::'` ] ; then
+    echo -e "[" "$RED" "ERROR" "$NORMAL" "]" "\tYou have not rights to write in the defined ARK server root directory"
+  fi
+  # arkserverexec
+  if [ ! -f "$arkserverroot/$arkserverexec" ] ; then
+    echo -e "[" "$YELLOW" "WARN" "$NORMAL" "]" "\tYour ARK server exec could not be found."
+  fi
+
+  # Service configuration
+  # logdir
+  if [ ! -w "$logdir" ] ; then
+    echo -e "[" "$RED" "ERROR" "$NORMAL" "]" "\tYou have not rights to write in the log directory."
+  fi
+}
+
 #
 # Check if a new version is available but not apply it
 #
@@ -159,6 +202,38 @@ function isTheServerUp(){
   fi
 }
 
+#
+# run function
+#
+doRun() {
+  arkserveropts=$serverMap
+
+  # bring in ark_... options
+  for varname in "${!ark_@}"; do
+    name="${varname#ark_}"
+    val="${!varname}"
+
+    # Port is actually one higher than specified
+    # i.e. specifying port 7777 will have the server
+    # use port 7778
+    if [ "$name" == "Port" ]; then
+      (( val = val - 1 ))
+    fi
+
+    if [ -n "$val" ]; then
+      arkserveropts="${arkserveropts}?${name}=${val}"
+    fi
+  done
+
+  arkserveropts="${arkserveropts}?listen"
+  # run the server in background
+  echo "`timestamp`: start"
+  # set max open files limit before we start the server
+  ulimit -n $maxOpenFiles
+  "$arkserverroot/$arkserverexec" "$arkserveropts"
+  echo "`timestamp`: exited with status $?"
+}
+
 #
 # start function
 #
@@ -169,32 +244,8 @@ doStart() {
     tput sc
     echo "The server is starting..."
 
-    cd "$arkserverroot"
-
-    arkserveropts=$serverMap
-
-    # bring in ark_... options
-    for varname in "${!ark_@}"; do
-      name="${varname#ark_}"
-      val="${!varname}"
-
-      # Port is actually one higher than specified
-      # i.e. specifying port 7777 will have the server
-      # use port 7778
-      if [ "$name" == "Port" ]; then
-        (( val = val - 1 ))
-      fi
-
-      if [ -n "$val" ]; then
-        arkserveropts="${arkserveropts}?${name}=${val}"
-      fi
-    done
-
-    arkserveropts="${arkserveropts}?listen"
-    # run the server in background
-    echo "$timestamp: start" >> "$logdir/$arkserverLog"
-    nohup "$arkserverroot/$arkserverexec" "$arkserveropts" </dev/null >"$logdir/$arkserverLog" 2>&1 & # output of this command is logged
-    echo "$timestamp: start" >> "$logdir/$arkmanagerLog"
+    doRun </dev/null >>"$logdir/$arkserverLog" 2>&1 & # output of this command is logged
+    echo "`timestamp`: start" >> "$logdir/$arkmanagerLog"
     tput rc; tput ed;
     echo "The server is now up"
   fi
@@ -213,7 +264,7 @@ doStop() {
 
     tput rc; tput ed;
     echo "The server has been stopped"
-    echo "$timestamp: stop" >> "$logdir/$arkmanagerLog"
+    echo "`timestamp`: stop" >> "$logdir/$arkmanagerLog"
   else
     echo "The server is already stopped"
   fi
@@ -242,7 +293,7 @@ doUpdate() {
     forceUpdate
   else
     echo "Your server is already up to date! The most recent version is ${bnumber}."
-    echo "$timestamp: No update needed." >> "$logdir/update.log"
+    echo "`timestamp`: No update needed." >> "$logdir/update.log"
   fi;
 }
 
@@ -257,7 +308,7 @@ forceUpdate(){
   ./$steamcmdexec +login anonymous +force_install_dir "$arkserverroot" +app_update $appid +quit
   # the current version should be the last version. We set our version
   getCurrentVersion
-  echo "$timestamp: update to $instver complete" >> "$logdir/update.log"
+  echo "`timestamp`: update to $instver complete" >> "$logdir/update.log"
 
   # we restart the server only if it was started before the update
   if [ $serverWasAlive -eq 1 ]; then
@@ -265,6 +316,38 @@ forceUpdate(){
   fi
 }
 
+#
+# Waits for server to perform save before update (until save file is newer than 1 minute)
+#
+doSafeUpdate(){
+  cd "$arkserverroot"
+  
+  if isUpdateNeeded; then
+    while [ ! `find $arkserverroot/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks -mmin -1 -name $serverMap.ark` ]; do
+	  echo "`timestamp`: Save file older than 1 minute. Delaying update." >> "$logdir/update.log"
+	  sleep 30s
+    done
+    echo "`timestamp`: Save file newer than 1 minute. Performing an update." >> "$logdir/update.log"
+    forceUpdate
+  else
+    echo "Your server is already up to date! The most recent version is ${bnumber}."
+    echo "`timestamp`: No update needed." >> "$logdir/update.log"
+  fi
+}
+
+#
+# Copies server state to a backup directory
+#
+doBackup(){
+  local datestamp=`date +"%Y-%m-%d_%H.%M.%S"`
+  local backupdir="${arkbackupdir}/${datestamp}"
+  mkdir -p "$backupdir"
+  cp "${arkserverroot}/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/${serverMap}.ark" "${backupdir}/${serverMap}.ark"
+  cp "${arkserverroot}/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/"*.arkprofile "${backupdir}"
+  cp "${arkserverroot}/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/"*.arktribe "${backupdir}"
+  cp "${arkserverroot}/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini" "${backupdir}"
+}
+
 #
 # Print the status of the server (running? online? version?)
 #
@@ -285,9 +368,29 @@ printStatus(){
 
 }
 
+doUpgrade() {
+  echo "arkmanager v${arkstVersion}: Checking for updates..."
+  arkstLatestVersion=`curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/FezVrasta/ark-server-tools/${arkstChannel}/.version`
+  if [[ $arkstLatestVersion > $arkstVersion ]]; then
+    read -p "A new version was found! Do you want to upgrade ARK Server Tools to v${$arkstLatestVersion}?" -n 1 -r
+    echo -en "\n"
+    if [[ $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
+        curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/FezVrasta/ark-server-tools/${arkstChannel}/netinstall.sh | sudo bash -s ${steamcmd_user} ${arkstChannel}
+      else
+        exit 0
+    fi
+  else
+    echo "Your ARK server tools are already up to date"
+  fi
+}
+
 #---------------------
 # Main program
 #---------------------
+
+# check the configuration and throw errors or warnings if needed
+checkConfig
+
 case "$1" in
     start)
         doStart
@@ -297,46 +400,56 @@ case "$1" in
     ;;
     restart)
         doStop
-        echo "$timestamp: stop" >> "$logdir/$arkmanagerLog"
+        echo "`timestamp`: stop" >> "$logdir/$arkmanagerLog"
         sleep 10
         doStart
-        echo "$timestamp: start" >> "$logdir/$arkmanagerLog"
-        echo "$timestamp: restart" >> "$logdir/$arkmanagerLog"
+        echo "`timestamp`: start" >> "$logdir/$arkmanagerLog"
+        echo "`timestamp`: restart" >> "$logdir/$arkmanagerLog"
     ;;
     install)
         doInstall
     ;;
     update)
-        doUpdate
-        #testfunction
-    ;;
-    forceupdate)
-      forceUpdate
+        if [ "$2" == "--force" ]; then
+          forceUpdate
+        elif [ "$2" == "--safe" ]; then
+          doSafeUpdate
+        else; then
+          doUpdate
+        fi
     ;;
     checkupdate)
       checkForUpdate
     ;;
+    backup)
+      doBackup
+    ;;
     broadcast)
         doInfo $2
     ;;
     status)
       printStatus
     ;;
+    upgrade)
+      doUpgrade
+    ;;
     -h|--help)
-      echo -e "Usage: arkmanager [OPTION]\n"
-      echo "Option        Description"
-      echo "start         Starts the server"
-      echo "stop          Stops the server"
-      echo "restart       Stops the server and then starts it"
-      echo "install       Install the ARK server files from steamcmd"
-      echo "update        Check for a new ARK server version, if needed, stops the server, updates it, and starts it again"
-      echo "forceupdate   Apply update without check the current version"
-      echo "checkupdate   Check for a new ARK server version"
-      echo "boradcast     PLACEHOLDER, not supported yet"
-      echo "status        Returns the status of the current ARK server instance"
+      echo -e "Usage: arkmanager[OPTION]\n"
+      echo "Option            Description"
+      echo "backup            Saves a backup of your server inside the backup directory"
+      echo "checkupdate       Check for a new ARK server version"
+      echo "install           Install the ARK server files from steamcmd"
+      echo "restart           Stops the server and then starts it"
+      echo "start             Starts the server"
+      echo "stop              Stops the server"
+      echo "status            Returns the status of the current ARK server instance"
+      echo "update            Check for a new ARK server version, if needed, stops the server, updates it, and starts it again"
+      echo "update --force    Apply update without check the current version"
+      echo "update --safe     Wait for server to perform world save and update."
+      echo "upgrade           Check for a new ARK Server Tools version and upgrades it if needed"
     ;;
     *)
-      echo "arkmanager: no command specified"
+      echo "arkmanager v${arkstVersion}: no command specified"
       echo "Try 'arkmanager -h' or 'arkmanager --help' for more information."
     ;;
 esac
diff --git a/tools/arkmanager.cfg b/tools/arkmanager.cfg
index b888aac..3248c56 100644
--- a/tools/arkmanager.cfg
+++ b/tools/arkmanager.cfg
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+arkstVersion="1.2"                                                  # used to print the version when needed and to check for updates
+arkstChannel="master"                                               # change it to a different branch to get non-stable versions
+
 # config SteamCMD
 steamcmdroot="/home/steam/steamcmd"                                 # path of your steamcmd instance
 steamcmdexec="steamcmd.sh"                                          # name of steamcmd executable
@@ -7,11 +10,14 @@ steamcmd_appinfocache="/home/steam/Steam/appcache/appinfo.vdf"      # cache of t
 # config environment
 arkserverroot="/home/steam/ARK"                                     # path of your ARK server files (default ~/ARK)
 arkserverexec="ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ShooterGameServer"        # name of ARK server executable
+arkbackupdir="/home/steam/ARK-Backups"                              # path to backup directory
 
 # ARK server options - use ark_<optionname>=<value>
 # comment out these values if you want to define them
 # inside your GameUserSettings.ini file
 serverMap="TheIsland"                                               # server map (default TheIsland)
+ark_RCONEnabled="True"                                              # Enable RCON Protocol
+ark_RCONPort="32330"                                                # RCON Port
 ark_SessionName="ARK Server Tools"                                  # if your session name needs special characters please use the .ini instead
 ark_Port="7778"                                                     # ARK server port (default 7778)
 ark_QueryPort="27016"                                               # ARK query port (default 27016)
diff --git a/tools/lsb/arkdaemon b/tools/lsb/arkdaemon
index ad802c3..f728ede 100755
--- a/tools/lsb/arkdaemon
+++ b/tools/lsb/arkdaemon
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ test -x $DAEMON || exit 5
 case "$1" in
   start)
     log_daemon_msg "Starting" "$NAME"
+    ulimit -n 100000
     su -s /bin/sh -c "$DAEMON start" $steamcmd_user
     sleep 5
     PID=`ps -ef | grep $NAME | grep -v grep | awk '{print $2}'`
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ case "$1" in
   ;;
 
   restart)
+    ulimit -n 100000
     su -s /bin/sh -c "$DAEMON restart" $steamcmd_user
   ;;
 
diff --git a/tools/openrc/arkdaemon b/tools/openrc/arkdaemon
index 7104607..4c2ddd0 100644
--- a/tools/openrc/arkdaemon
+++ b/tools/openrc/arkdaemon
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@ LOGFILE="${logdir}/${NAME}.log"
 DAEMON="/usr/bin/arkmanager"
 
 depend(){
-    require net
+    need net
 }
 
 start(){
     ebegin "Starting ARK manager daemon"
+    ulimit -n 100000
     su -s /bin/sh -c "$DAEMON start" $steamcmd_user
     sleep 5
     PID=`ps -ef | grep $NAME | grep -v grep | awk '{print $2}'`
diff --git a/tools/redhat/arkdaemon b/tools/redhat/arkdaemon
index e51925c..411bcd1 100755
--- a/tools/redhat/arkdaemon
+++ b/tools/redhat/arkdaemon
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ test -x $DAEMON || exit 5
 case "$1" in
   start)
     echo -n "Starting $NAME: "
+    ulimit -n 100000
     su -s /bin/sh -c "$DAEMON start" $steamcmd_user > /dev/null
     sleep 5
     PID=`ps -ef | grep $NAME | grep -v grep | awk '{print $2}'`
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ case "$1" in
 
   restart)
     echo -n "Restarting $NAME: "
+    ulimit -n 100000
     su -s /bin/sh -c "$DAEMON restart" $steamcmd_user > /dev/null
     echo "OK"
   ;;
diff --git a/tools/systemd/arkdaemon.init b/tools/systemd/arkdaemon.init
index 6faa93e..2cde2ab 100755
--- a/tools/systemd/arkdaemon.init
+++ b/tools/systemd/arkdaemon.init
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ test -x $DAEMON || exit 5
 case "$1" in
   start)
     echo -n "Starting $NAME: "
+    ulimit -n 100000
     su -s /bin/sh -c "$DAEMON start" $steamcmd_user > /dev/null
     sleep 5
     PID=`ps -ef | grep $NAME | grep -v grep | awk '{print $2}'`
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ case "$1" in
 
   restart)
     echo -n "Restarting $NAME: "
+    ulimit -n 100000
     su -s /bin/sh -c "$DAEMON restart" $steamcmd_user > /dev/null
     echo "OK"
   ;;