Backing up data

Backing up your files moves the data from the server to a local or remote system, where it is stored in an archive directory. You can back up your data files at any time. Before you begin, you may want to create an archive directory where you want to store your backed up data.

You may back up data:

• To your desktop using the Download option

• To a remote backup server using the FTP server utility

• Important: Any data or configuration changes that occur after your backup is taken will be lost if your system crashes or files get corrupted. For example, if you perform a backup at 1:00 P.M. and restore that backup at 5:00 P.M. the same day, all email messages that arrive during that time period will be lost.

Before you begin

Before you begin backing up, have the following information ready.

• The name of the FTP server to which you want to save your data

• Your FTP login user name and password to log onto the FTP server

• The directory path of the backup directory on the FTP server

• Note: It is recommended that you back up the site and user files in different backup directories, to quickly identify the files you want to restore.
  
  If you back them up in the same backup directory, selecting files for restoring becomes overwhelming, as during restore, all the backed up files are simply listed without clear demarcation as to the type of backup each compressed file belongs to.
  
  For example, you could back up the site files to a site_backup directory and back up users to a user_backup directory, instead of backing them all up in one common directory, say, my_backup.

• Maximum size of the file being backed up

• Note: Various file systems and FTP server utilities have limits on the file size they can handle. If the size of your backup file exceeds the file management capacity of the file system or the FTP server utility on your backup server, then WEBppliance splits the file into multiple files before continuing with the backup.

To back up data, click Backup/Restore in the shortcuts area of the Home page, (Tools section), then follow the instructions below.
 

go to wizard Step1 Step2 Step3

You need to choose the type of backup, select the appropriate mode of transfer and provide the required miscellaneous information.
 

wizard Step1: Choose the type of backup

1. Choose the type of backup, by selecting one of the option buttons in the Type of Backup area.

1. Site - Backs up your site.

2. Users - Backs up data pertaining to users of your site.

Click the arrow in the Users list, and choose only one of the following.

• All - To back up all user accounts

• <name of the User> - To back up a particular user. Press
  Ctrl + the left mouse button to select multiple users.

wizard Step2: Select mode of transfer

2. Choose the mode of data transfer to the backup server.

You can choose to download or FTP the data to the backup server.

• Note: Large files may take a long time to transfer depending on the quality of your Internet connection. FTP is recommended as a faster and more reliable option when transferring large files.

1. Download - Ideal for backing up small files to a desktop.

• In the Download Backup area, select the Download option button to download to a desktop or local server.

• Go to Step3 of the wizard.

• Click Download.
  The Download File window opens.

• Click Download file.
  The File Download window opens asking if you want to open the file or save the file to your computer.

• Click Save.

• In the Save As dialog, enter or retain the default name of the backup file.

2. FTP - Ideal for backing up large files to a remote FTP server.

• Important: You should have the FTP server utility installed on the backup server to use this transfer mode.

• In the Backup to FTP Server area, select the FTP option button to transfer the files using FTP to a remote FTP server.

• In the FTP Server field, enter the name of the FTP server you want to use as the backup server.

• In the FTP Login field, enter the login user name to the FTP server.

• In the FTP Password field, enter the login password to the FTP server.

• In the FTP Location field, enter the directory path of the directory on the FTP server you want to use as the backup directory. If you leave the field blank, the files will be saved to the home directory of the user specified in step 3.  

• Note: If the specified directory does not exist, the backup fails and an email message is sent to you about the error.

• In the Maximum Backup File Size field, enter the maximum size of the backup file.

• Important: Various file systems and FTP server utilities have limits on the file size they can handle. If the size of your backup file exceeds the file management capacity of the file system or the FTP server utility on your backup server, then WEBppliance splits the file into multiple files before continuing with the backup.  
  The split files follow the naming convention given below:
  <backupfilename.tar>
  <backupfilename.1.tar>
  <backupfilename.2.tar>
  where backupfilename is the name of your backup file.

• Go to Step3 of the wizard.

• Click Backup.

wizard Step3: Enter miscellaneous information

3. In the Email field, enter the email address at which you want to receive email notifications. If you do not want to receive email notifications, leave the field blank.

The status of the backup is conveyed in an email notification sent to the address specified in the Email field.