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    VPS Backup Policy

    Understanding RamNode's backup policy and best practices

    Table of Contents

    Important Policy

    Important Policy

    As of July 12, 2014, RamNode no longer takes backups of client VPS data. We highly recommend that you maintain your own regular backups to prevent data loss.

    Why You Need Backups

    Data loss can occur for many reasons:

    • Accidental deletion of files
    • Server misconfiguration
    • Software bugs or conflicts
    • Hardware failures
    • Security breaches or hacking
    • Ransomware attacks
    • Database corruption

    Having regular backups ensures you can recover from any of these situations quickly.

    Backup Solutions

    Cloud VPS Built-in Snapshots

    If you're using RamNode Cloud VPS, you can create snapshots and backups directly from the Cloud Control Panel. These can be restored at any time with just a few clicks.

    Automated Backup Tools

    Consider using these popular backup solutions:

    • rsync - Simple file synchronization to remote servers
    • Duplicity - Encrypted incremental backups
    • Restic - Fast, secure backup program
    • Borg Backup - Deduplicating backup program
    • rclone - Sync files to cloud storage

    Cloud Storage Destinations

    Store your backups off-site using:

    • RamNode Cloud Storage (S3-compatible)
    • Amazon S3
    • Backblaze B2
    • Google Cloud Storage
    • Wasabi
    • Another VPS in a different location

    Backup Best Practices

    The 3-2-1 Rule

    Follow the 3-2-1 backup strategy:

    • 3 copies of your data (original + 2 backups)
    • 2 different storage media types
    • 1 copy kept off-site

    Regular Backup Schedule

    • Critical data - Daily or even hourly
    • Important data - Daily to weekly
    • Static data - Weekly to monthly

    Test Your Backups

    A backup you haven't tested is not a backup. Regularly test restoration to ensure:

    • Backup files are not corrupted
    • You know how to restore
    • The restoration process works
    • Backup contains all necessary data

    Simple Backup Examples

    Basic rsync Backup

    Here's a basic rsync backup to another server:

    # Backup to remote server
    rsync -avz -e ssh /path/to/backup user@remote-server:/backup/location/
    
    # Add to crontab for daily backups
    0 2 * * * rsync -avz -e ssh /path/to/backup user@remote-server:/backup/location/

    Database Backups

    Don't forget to backup databases separately:

    # MySQL/MariaDB
    mysqldump -u root -p database_name > backup.sql
    
    # PostgreSQL
    pg_dump database_name > backup.sql

    Your Responsibility

    You are solely responsible for maintaining backups of your VPS data. RamNode cannot recover data if your VPS is lost, corrupted, or deleted. Plan and implement a backup strategy before disaster strikes.