Difference between revisions of "Backup Basics for a Joomla! Web Site"

From Joomla! Documentation

(Added pointer to Joomla backup extensions.)
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A backup is a copy of the data stored on a computer, which can be used to restore the computer to the state it was in at the time the backup was made. Useful in case of data loss or if the computer system's security measures are compromised by malicious attackers.
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Always keep a recent backup of your site. Backups are useful in case of data loss, if your security has been compromised by malicious attackers, or simply if you made an error and need to revert the site back to a previous state.
  
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To backup your Joomla site you will need an FTP client. Log in to the FTP account of your site and download all the files and folders that exist in the main directory. Be sure that the file and directory structure remains the same as in the live site.
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There are two parts to a complete back up of your Joomla site. First is the database the other is the the file system.
  
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You will also need to create a copy of your database. The mechanism varies depending on the host of your site. Most hosting providers provide phpMyAdmin to help you manage your databases (provided of course that you use MySQL as your database).
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== Database ==
  
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Instructions on how to backup a database: http://www.phpmyadmin.net/documentation/#faq6_4
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Instructions on how to backup a database using PhpMyAdmin (common on most web hosts): http://www.phpmyadmin.net/documentation/#faq6_4
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Alternatively, there are several backup extensions for Joomla 1.5 you could look into. If you are interested in GPL, at this time there are none to my knowledge that automate the whole process. However, there are a couple of good database backup only extensions. SQL Dumper (available at extensions.joomla.org) can be used for both creating and restoring Joomla databases. Although if for some reason Joomla becomes impossible to log into, the backup will need to be restored through PhpMyAdmin or another method.
  
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Alternatively you may use the backup functionality provided by many webhosters through their site management interfaces, or one of the Joomla backup extensions available on the Joomla extensions directory from within the Joomla administrator backend.
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It is recommended to back up the database at least twice per week or even everyday (and more) if you have an active site.
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== File System ==
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Besides the DB, you should also back up your site files. The interval for this depends on how often you or your users make changes to the file system. If users can add photos and media or you make changes to the site other than simple text edits, it should be done often. This is best done with an FTP program and is no different than backing up a standard website. Download all the files and folders that exist in the main directory, and save it to a folder on your local computer. Be sure that the file and directory structure remains the same as it is in the live site. You could then burn a CD or save to an external hard drive if you desire.
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'''TIP.''' If you've never used an FTP client, most hosts provide an FTP capability from within their control panel.

Revision as of 05:21, 13 June 2008

Always keep a recent backup of your site. Backups are useful in case of data loss, if your security has been compromised by malicious attackers, or simply if you made an error and need to revert the site back to a previous state.

There are two parts to a complete back up of your Joomla site. First is the database the other is the the file system.

Database[edit]

Instructions on how to backup a database using PhpMyAdmin (common on most web hosts): http://www.phpmyadmin.net/documentation/#faq6_4

Alternatively, there are several backup extensions for Joomla 1.5 you could look into. If you are interested in GPL, at this time there are none to my knowledge that automate the whole process. However, there are a couple of good database backup only extensions. SQL Dumper (available at extensions.joomla.org) can be used for both creating and restoring Joomla databases. Although if for some reason Joomla becomes impossible to log into, the backup will need to be restored through PhpMyAdmin or another method.

It is recommended to back up the database at least twice per week or even everyday (and more) if you have an active site.

File System[edit]

Besides the DB, you should also back up your site files. The interval for this depends on how often you or your users make changes to the file system. If users can add photos and media or you make changes to the site other than simple text edits, it should be done often. This is best done with an FTP program and is no different than backing up a standard website. Download all the files and folders that exist in the main directory, and save it to a folder on your local computer. Be sure that the file and directory structure remains the same as it is in the live site. You could then burn a CD or save to an external hard drive if you desire.

TIP. If you've never used an FTP client, most hosts provide an FTP capability from within their control panel.

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