Automatic Backups FTP / Cpanel Users / MySQL Databases

[vegaskev]

First...here is what I'm running:

WHM 11.32.2 (build 18)
CENTOS 5.6 i686 virtuozzo
Linux Server


I'm learning how to manage my own server lately (lots more fun than I expected). Unfortunately, I've been too busy to spend the time finding quality information on setting up automatic backups for everything. Because of this, I figured it was time to post my needs on cpanel forums for help. I'm simply looking for some reference materials so I can learn how to do this the best possible way. I'm not sure whether or not I should use cron jobs or configure everything in cPanel. Please point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance.

Here is what I'm hoping to do.

1. Backup My Entire WHM Configuration
2. Backup My individual cpanel users and their configurations
3. backup my cpanel users' file directories
4. backup my cpanel users' MySQL databases
5. Create an Uber Backup that contains everything above in one master file
6. email the zipped file to my email address for saving on my external hard drive

I have no idea what is possible, I'm just thinking that anything is possible and hoping that I'm right. I've tried here and there to researching this, but every single time I get around to start searching for the information on how to do these things, I get a called on by a client, one of my kids or my wife. Again, I appreciate any help on this matter. I noticed the "Backup Configuration" in WHM, but I don't know if that will support my needs, nor do I understand all of the configurations...if that is the answer to my needs, please point me in the direction of some reference materials that I can use to better understand those settings. Thank you in advance for all of your help.

 

[Infopro]

I'm learning how to manage my own server lately (lots more fun than I expected).

That's the spirit! Lots of fun stuff to be learned managing your own server.

cPanel has backup tools built in. Docs are always helpful, start here:
Configure Backup - cPanel Documentation

You will need a Backup drive on your server, or another server or location to backup to. If you don't have that, your Hosting Provider can surely help there.

 

[kabatak]

@Infopro

I have a similar question here: http://forums.cpanel.net/f5/how-aut...whm-accounts-geo-separated-server-269091.html

Except I need to automate restoration to the backup server, do you have any idea on how to achieve this? Thanks

 

[vegaskev]

That's the spirit! Lots of fun stuff to be learned managing your own server.

cPanel has backup tools built in. Docs are always helpful, start here:
Configure Backup - cPanel Documentation

You will need a Backup drive on your server, or another server or location to backup to. If you don't have that, your Hosting Provider can surely help there.

Thanks Infopro. I knew I would get what I was after by coming to cPanel directly.

 

[vegaskev]

@InfoPro:

Thanks again for all of your help. I have some more questions regarding this issue....

1.) Am I to understand that by using 'remote ftp backups' settings I will essentially be backing everything up to another server that I give my operating server ftp access to so that my current server does the backups as I set them up and then it remote ftp's into my backup server and places the files in their for saving?

2.) Is there a way to have my server execute the backups and then notify me via email that the backups are done with a zip of the backups....or at least a link to the current backup location for easy download access so that I can save them on my local server at home?

Thanks in advance for all of your help.

 

[Infopro]

1) I'm not sure I follow the question properly. When you configure your Backups to be sent to a remote FTP, the only files sent are your accounts. The rest can be rebuilt in a disaster, but not the user accounts, and is why we want to keep those backed up of course.

2) You can be alerted to backups completing, yes. There was another thread asking about notifications recently located here you might find useful:
Receive alerts if the server goes down - cPanel Forums There will be no link for easy access though.

If you'd like to, you might setup an FTP server at home and you can indeed configure your Backups from cPanel to be sent to that FTP server. If you have a slow connection and many accounts, this might not be worth the time involved to set it up. But, if you've got multiple smaller accounts and pretty good connection, this is a viable option.

 

[dxer]

If I can just add some questions here. I am considering Remote FTP backupn on cPanel but I am not sure what they meant by "only files sent are your accounts" ? Is this complete accounts with user's e-mails and user's databases ?

What is backed up when using standard backup in comparison to remote FTP backup ?