A complete backup, restoration, migration, and deployment solution. If you go with VaultPress, this plugin is not necessary. Requires an iThemes paid subscription.
More Info on BackupBuddy
https://ithemeshelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200062300-BackupBuddy/
Initial Configuration
Settings > iThemes Licensing
Enter your iThemes login information to authorize this plugin.
BackupBuddy > Settings
- ImportBuddy password: enter a secure password and write it down. Never change this password since previous backups depend on it for potential restoration.
- Send notification after period of no backups: 7.
- Error notification recipient(s): enter your email address.
- Age limit of local backups: 0.
- Limit number of backups to keep by type: 6, 30, 0 (this is really up to you and the storage space you have on your server).
- Limit total number of local backups to keep: 0.
- Size limit of all local backups combined: 0.
- Default base database tables to backup: choose All tables (including non-WordPress).
- Default excluded files & directories (relative to WordPress root): click to exclude files and folders as needed from the left-hand area. Some recommended files and folders to exclude:
/.ftpquota
/error_log
/cgi-bin/
BackupBuddy > Schedules
Create 3 types of backups (daily database, weekly full, and monthly full remote backups) as instructed below.
Daily Database Backup
- Schedule name: enter Daily Database.
- Backup profile: choose Database Only (Database Only).
- Backup interval: choose Once Daily.
- Date/time of next run: choose the next day at 1:00 am.
- Remote backup destination(s): N/A.
- Delete local backup file after remote send success: N/A.
- Schedule enabled? check Enable schedule to run.
- Click + Add New Schedule.
Weekly Full Backup
- Schedule name: enter Weekly Full.
- Backup profile: choose Complete Backup (Full).
- Backup interval: choose Once Weekly.
- Date/time of next run: choose the next day at 2:00 am.
- Remote backup destination(s): N/A.
- Delete local backup file after remote send success: N/A.
- Schedule enabled? check Enable schedule to run.
- Click + Add New Schedule.
Monthly Full Remote Backup
First, you need to set up a remote destination (BackupBuddy > Remote Destinations). Documentation on various remote destinations: https://ithemeshelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/211127127-Introduction
Now it’s time to schedule the remote backup. Click back to BackupBuddy > Schedules and use these settings:
- Schedule name: enter Monthly Full Remote.
- Backup profile: choose Complete Backup (Full).
- Backup interval: choose Once Monthly.
- Date/time of next run: choose 3 days later at 3:00 am.
- Remote backup destination(s): click + Add Remote Destination and choose the remote destination you set up earlier.
- Delete local backup file after remote send success: enable this option.
- Schedule enabled? check Enable schedule to run.
- Click + Add New Schedule.
Usage
BackupBuddy > Backup
Depending on what type of backup you need, click either Database | Database Only or Full | Complete Backup (which includes all files + database). Note that any files you excluded in BackupBuddy > Settings will not be backed up.
Once you start a backup, allow it to complete before you do any other action such as WordPress updates. When the backup is complete, it will appear in the list of previous backups. Hover over a backup to see more options like below:
- Download: click to download a copy of the backup.
- Send: click to send a copy to a remote destination (see section on Remote Destinations).
- Browse & Restore Files: click for options to restore specific files or database tables.
- Note: click to add a note to the backup (e.g. Backup before WordPress updates).
BackupBuddy > Restore/Migrate
The importbuddy.php file is used in one method of restoring a site and it’s always a good idea to download once to keep with your backups.
- Click Download importbuddy.php.
- Leave the password field blank if you want to use the one from the BackupBuddy > Settings (recommended) or enter a new password (make sure you write it down; it’s needed for any future restoration).
- Save the file to your computer in the same folder where you saved downloaded backups.
BackupBuddy > Malware Scan
Once you click this menu item, it scans the site for malware. Just wait for it to complete and post results. Put it on your calendar to do this once a week.
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