In-Portal Embedded Backup/Restore Tool Refactoring

[Phil -- wbtc.fr --]

Hi guys,

I've found this tool (used as a free extension for Joomla), it's the way I think about backup:
http://www.akeebabackup.com/
They use an Ajax code, ran from Cron.

I propose the following as a project:

• run upon Agent request and on-demand (toolbar button)
  

• Agent activated after bakcup parameters are setup (to avoid missed backup while everything is setup)

• ability to choose file format (zip/gzip)

• 3 backup modes, each of them can be activated:

• automatic (to be run on a daily basis)
  
• DB without visitor logs and cache tables
• /system folder without /.restricted, /cache and /tmp folders
• active theme

• full (to be run once a month)
  
• whole DB
• whole filesystem without /system/cache and /system/tmp
  
• checkbox to optionally include a standalone php reinstall script
  

• custom (for advanced users)
  
• select tables to backup (maybe a list of tables, comma separated?)
  
• select folders to backup (maybe a command line style?)

• restore mode : reads automatically backup archives and restore on demand (checkboxes): DB, system files, theme
  

I'm awaiting your comments !

p

[Alexander Obuhovich]

I don't think that backing up files is a good idea, since each day you will be getting another copy of unchanged theme and system/images folder.

Also I don't see how image backup could be useful, since restoring accidentally deleted image without associated database record won't do any good.

However I like database table backup selection. Maybe selecting "tables, that should not be backed-up" will be better, since when new tables are added after upgrade, then they got auto-backuped and that's seems to be good idea.

--
Best Regards,

http://www.in-portal.com
http://www.alex-time.com

[Phil -- wbtc.fr --]

about files, it's truly a complex subject, but I can say here that I prefer to restore unused images rather than having lost all of them! and don't forget we have a cleaning tool ;-)

Themes could be optionnaly backup, that's true, or only in full backup, it's very easy for whom have coded the theme to have it's own copy.

It's important to integrate images/ folder, I've many customers who pay people to fill DB with new products everyday. If image folder is too much big, then it's also an important customer, and he'll have it's own server admin to setup a backup, then no worry about big things, it's a backup for 95% of users only.

2010/12/13 Alexander Obuhovich <aik....@gmail.com>

[Alexander Obuhovich]

Have a complex backup feature as part of CMS website, I doubt that this will happen sometime soon.

Also time consumption for this feature programming and specs finalizing is not small.

Related to this feature I'll say, that we will do it, when we needed or many other users will need it.

[Dmitry A.]

Hi Phil,

For summarizing all your ideas.

Well, there is a lot and it's great, but in reality we all know that it's a long way from ideas to implementation. Please don't think we are NOT interested in having this in In-Portal - yes we truly are, but unfortunately we have not enough priority for this at the moment.

I have a offer for your users how are badly missing this whole backup things (as described). In-Portal team would be glad to move this whole thing to development if it's sponsored by someone. There is quite a bit of work, but we are ready meet you half-way (50/50) and split the development cost. We haven't quoted this yet since NO final specs or task ready.

I hope it makes sense.

Thanks.

[Phil -- wbtc.fr --]

Hi guys,

thanks for your answers, yes it's not a main subject now, and I clearly understand it's a big part of code, not so obvious to achieve, and I wanted to take time here to talk about it, and maybe be back on this later.

Dmitry, I appreciate this offer, to be honest I don't have a direct interest as my host is providing daily backups via Nagios, but I'll keep this possibility in mind for other features.

I was thinking for the global project, to have a feature many other CMS don't have, but this can wait for community to ask it. I've read forums on other CMS, and they prompt users to backup, showing them how to use PMA, it doesn't sound professionnal to me.

p

2010/12/13 Dmitry A. <dand...@gmail.com>

[Alexander Obuhovich]

If there is a specialized tool for backup, then it's better to show how to use it to others, then teach CMS how to do completely unrelated to CMS stuff. Especially, when most of hostings have backup features anyway.

[Phil -- wbtc.fr --]

yes, that's why I sent the link to a free backup tool, which let user backing up their website easily, and I though we could recommand/include this opensource software after testing, if it's good.

2010/12/14 Alexander Obuhovich <aik....@gmail.com>