Thread: Automated FTP Backup

I finally was able to set my servers to automatically create backups and ftp them directly to my home network!

Good points to this, I will have a daily, weekly and monthly backup of each and every site I run! My servers will not be straining themselves writing and storing the backups to their own hd's, simply ftping them directly to my network. I don't have to remember to ftp or ssh into my server accounts to download the huge files. It's done in the middle of the night while I sleep.

The only bad thing I can think of is possible security issues. So far I'm loving it! My VPS accounts are automatically backedup by the hosting company, my dedicated server however is not.

Even if the host company does offer backup services I'd prefer to have a current backup for myself should anything happen.

I'm simply 100% psyched over this! Huge time saver and takes some stress both off of me and my servers!

You have a tutorial to offer to the members written up yet ?

I'm no good at writing tutorials, otherwise I would

Loocy you got some 'splain to do! hehe

Seriously, I'm no good at writing either but a general outline would teach some people (like me).
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I have two related questions/theories:

1) If I had a static IP at home couldn't I point a subdomain to that IP and setup an FTP server that way?

2) Do you feel like you're wasting bandwidth when backing up? For my forum, I grab a DB backup daily because that's really all that changes. Whenever I do anything like edit or add files I then grab a full backup. A full backup of my forum is running me about 1/2 gig where as the DB is only around 50 MB.

I wrote up a tutorial for this some time ago. I even included the script necessary to run with cron.

Have a look...

If you like it, please Digg it.

#1 I don't trully have a static IP, I use an online service for that to update it. They give me the subdomain and program to use free of charge mg:
#2 It doesn't take all that much bandwidth especially compared to the fear of losing my data.

Zap's info is great for those running a reseller account. If you have full access on a VPS or Server to WHM such as I do it's easy to setup the backup options in about 2 minutes. The hard part is simply setting up the home ftp network

Originally Posted by Danny Boy

1) If I had a static IP at home couldn't I point a subdomain to that IP and setup an FTP server that way?

You could, either, FTP to the IP address or use a free dns service like dyndns.org.

Zap, good tutorial for server backup. I will use them today, after a short reviewing. I have one dedi without any kind of backup facilities and this serve 10+ sites, more of them critical.
My suggestion is to acquire one shared account - backup included - if you don't have a big online bizniz.

Thanks,
Cr0n

Originally Posted by cr0n1cal

Zap, good tutorial for server backup. I will use them today, after a short reviewing. I have one dedi without any kind of backup facilities and this serve 10+ sites, more of them critical.
My suggestion is to acquire one shared account - backup included - if you don't have a big online bizniz.

Thanks,
Cr0n

What if any control panel are you using? If you are using cpanel with whm you might have an easier method at your disposal. WHM has an easy to setup ftp backup option within it's controls.

zap i am going to have to check that tutorial out.

You could also write a script that is run on your home network. That way you only need a static IP address on your server.