Backup Strategies

A solid backup strategy is essential for data protection and disaster recovery. This guide covers various approaches to backing up your cloud instances.

Backup Methods

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule

Follow the industry-standard 3-2-1 rule:

Automated Backup Scripts

#!/bin/bash
# /usr/local/bin/backup.sh

BACKUP_DIR="/backup/$(date +%Y%m%d)"
SOURCE="/var/www /etc /home"

mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR

rsync -avz --delete $SOURCE $BACKUP_DIR

# Optional: Upload to remote storage
# rclone copy $BACKUP_DIR remote:backups/

#!/bin/bash
# /usr/local/bin/mysql-backup.sh

BACKUP_DIR="/backup/mysql/$(date +%Y%m%d)"
MYSQL_USER="backup_user"
MYSQL_PASS="secure_password"

mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR

# Backup all databases
mysqldump -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASS --all-databases \
  --single-transaction --quick --lock-tables=false \
  > $BACKUP_DIR/all-databases.sql

# Compress
gzip $BACKUP_DIR/all-databases.sql

# Delete old backups (keep 7 days)
find /backup/mysql -type d -mtime +7 -exec rm -rf {} +

#!/bin/bash
# /usr/local/bin/postgres-backup.sh

BACKUP_DIR="/backup/postgres/$(date +%Y%m%d)"

mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR

# Backup all databases
su - postgres -c "pg_dumpall" > $BACKUP_DIR/all-databases.sql

# Compress
gzip $BACKUP_DIR/all-databases.sql

# Delete old backups (keep 7 days)
find /backup/postgres -type d -mtime +7 -exec rm -rf {} +

# Edit crontab
crontab -e

# Daily backup at 2 AM
0 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/backup.sh

# MySQL backup at 3 AM
0 3 * * * /usr/local/bin/mysql-backup.sh

# Weekly offsite sync on Sunday at 4 AM
0 4 * * 0 rclone sync /backup remote:backups/

Off-Platform Backup Solutions

# Install rclone
curl https://rclone.org/install.sh | bash

# Configure (interactive)
rclone config

# Sync backups to remote storage
rclone sync /backup remote:backups/

# Or use for incremental backups
rclone copy /backup remote:backups/$(date +%Y%m%d)

# Install restic
apt install restic

# Initialize repository
restic init --repo /backup/restic

# Create backup
restic backup --repo /backup/restic /var/www /etc

# List snapshots
restic snapshots --repo /backup/restic

# Restore
restic restore latest --repo /backup/restic --target /restore

Testing Your Backups

Backups are useless if they don't work. Regular testing is critical:

1. Scheduled Tests - Test restores monthly
2. Document Procedures - Write down restoration steps
3. Test Different Scenarios - Full restore, single file, database only
4. Verify Data Integrity - Check that restored data is usable
5. Measure Time - Know how long restoration takes

Quick Restoration Test

# Create test instance from snapshot
# 1. Create snapshot in Cloud Control Panel
# 2. Launch new instance from snapshot
# 3. Verify services start correctly
# 4. Test application functionality
# 5. Delete test instance

# Test database backup restoration
mysql < backup.sql
# Verify tables and data

Backup Best Practices

• Automate Everything - Manual backups will be forgotten
• Multiple Locations - Don't keep all backups in one place
• Encrypt Sensitive Data - Especially for off-site backups
• Monitor Backup Status - Set up alerts for failed backups
• Document Recovery - Write procedures before you need them
• Retention Policy - Keep daily for 7 days, weekly for 4 weeks, monthly for 6 months
• Test Regularly - Untested backups are not backups

Recovery Time Objectives

Plan your backup strategy based on acceptable downtime: