Backup and restore of your files

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1. Automatic restore (Your data are also kept on a remote server being at minimum 1000km, frequency of backups depend on your plan type)

In your cPanel, you must use the tools of section 'JetBackup'

Backup cPanel

A. To restore files automatically in few clicks

Update 15/02/2022 : new version 5 of jetbackup is on most servers, slight changes appear, but, is globally same. Click on 'Folder Home' 

Backup cPanel

Click icon 'File backups', select first date of backup, and click to the corresponding button on right :'File manager', select Folders/files to restore. To restore, use button 'Restore' or icon with circular arrows. Note that files beginning by a "." like .htaccess are not displayed by default, to show them, tick 'show hidden files' on top right.

With jetbackup 5, use button "Change Files Selection"

Example : if you want to restore all the public_html folder, select only this folder, or go inside this folder and select everything by the button at the top right, and then restore everything which is selected. Same for a subdomain folder, or addon/domain folder.
Accept conditions, and give your email to be alerted of end of process OR once your pressed 'Restore', click 'Return to menu', and go in 'Queue' so see the process ongoing.

NB : Restore only folders/files you care about, avoid restoring system folders/files you don't know anything about)

B. To restore database automatically in few clicks

Choose icon 'Database backups', select the right database and date wanted, and click 'Restore'

C. To restore manually
You must first generate the download files, which will push this files inside in your cPanel account in /.jbm/downloads.
You have the possibilities to download first a full account backup, or some folders/files, or databases, order it, wait by checking status in queue section or wait for email notification.
From your cPanel account, files are stored in /.jbm/downloads, if you don't see /.jbm/downloads : you must tweak one setting in file manager window, top right button : Settings, and click : "Show Hidden Files (dotfiles)". After, you must uncompress the backup file with file manager of cPanel, with right button of your mouse : extract and give this path /.jbm/extractbackup.
Your uncompressed backup is now here : /.jbm/extractbackup.
After, use the functions of file manager of cPanel to do what you want to replace : copy/paste (with correct path link), or move (select folder/files, stay clicked on it with button of your mouse, move files where you want, and release button of your mouse).
We recommend you to first move to a temporary folder or public_ftp, or delete the content of source folder where you replace things...
Check well that permissions are correct.

NB : in uncompressed backup folder of full account backup, homedir holds your files in folder public_html, and databases are in main folder 'mysql' (it's more simple to restore a database through 'Database backups')

WARNING :
Full restore account must be used in exceptional case : critical issue on whole account ! First : we recommend to restore the precise folder of website causing issue, and its related database separately.

 

2. You can make an instant backup anytime of your data within cPanel.

Backup :

Full cPanel account
- You can use icon Backup, and click on 'Download a full site backup'

Backup cPanel
OR
Also, you can also use Jetbackup plugin, based on last automated daily backup, choose : 'Full accounts backup', Click on 'Generate Download', and backup file generation will take a while, you will be notified by email when ready, and be able to click on this same page on 'Download'.

Backup cPanel(Please note on screenshots icons like Cron, DNS zone, email, SSL, they are backed up also separately so that to be able to restore only these things)

Only files :
- You can use the file manager in your cPanel, right-click of your mouse on the folder, and then create a zip or by Filezilla file by file.

Databases, 3 methods :
- By icon Backup, click 'Download a MySQL Database Backup'

- By phpmyadmin, scroll to the bottom, and click Export, choose 'Custom', and compression gzip.
- By Jetbackup plugin, see 'Databases backups'

Restore :
The files :
- If the files are in a folder cPanel, use cPanel file manager and then use drag and drop (instantaneous)
- If the files are on your PC, do a compressed zip file, upload it with your FTP software. Now, with cPanel file manager, uncompress file by right click of your mouse. To move your files/folders, select them, keep pressed with left button of your mouse, and move all these to the targeted folder.

Databases :
- By phpmyadmin, scroll to the database to restore, empty selecting all tables, delete, and click import, select the file from your PC

Important remarks :

- If you have downloaded any file to your computer, you must use the restore feature of cPanel for mails, and databases... For files, use filezilla.
- never let backup files (compressed ones) in the middle of the files of your website files directory, this means they can be downloaded from the web !!! put them instead either : at root of your account : /home/youruser/, or in a folder you create at root of your cPanel account like : /home/youruser/backup, or in folder public_ftp....
- keep your account clean once you have terminated your operations, delete all you don't need very easily with file manager of cPanel
- Avoid to restore cache folders

Attention :
Your cPanel account should not be used to store backups except temporarily. We don't backup on our external server any backup files !

Are not backed-up :
Folder /public_ftp/ and files : zip, tar, tar.gz, and all files regarding cache
The reason is that technically, our servers have no drive capacity (despite the fact that nowadays storage does not cost much), we favored configurations for performance. We scan the server weekly for searching backup files aged more than 30 days, and we move them to our backup server where we will keep them for 60 days.

Automated backup plugins are not tolerated as this duplicates our backup system and we observed repeated bugs of such plugins, which is the most problematic. Use our recommendations listed below.

1. For those who want to save their site externally and automatically, test this application by softaculous :
https://www.yoorshop.hosting/en/120/web-hosting-XCloner-softaculous 
(You must install an instance in the folder of each site concerned)

2. External backup on request Incre From plan 3, on request, we can setup an extra backup to an external destination (VPS excluded)

This extra backup is also a guarantee against failure of our company. Everything must be considered !

To any other host, we can set up a daily incremental backup by our backup software
(You will have to order a service from them, activate SSH, open a support ticket with us with the access data to this account)

Then, the question would be, which backup host to choose.

Criterion we consider here are :

  • use of cPanel/ a competent and reactive support / decent performance / possibly unlimited disk usage
  • all big web hosts should be excluded, they would especially fail in term of reactivity

For French speaking customers, Host https://www.o2switch.fr is optimal because they are reactive, and provide unlimited disk usage, on your request, they would put back in place your cPanel account exactly as it is based on the backup files, and all you will need to do is to update your DNS.

For English speaking customers, we would recommend https://krystal.uk/web-hosting 


3. Incremental backup to Amazon S3
https://www.yoorshop.hosting/announcements/899/Backup-to-your-own-account-Amazon-S3.html


4. Incremental backup to or from Windows : https://www.goodsync.com
Paid license, but worth it: very simple to configure, efficient, and possibility to automate

(ideal for large volumes, but does not backup databases) 

Work by FTP, or SFTP (Ask us first to activate your SSH access, see dedicated article)