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Backup Solutions
| Posted by defen, 06-13-2009, 01:45 PM |
| Presently I run a site on a shared server. I run a database backup every night to the host root and two backup servers and I run a full root backup every week to the backup servers.
I have two questions. One, let's say I lose my entire forum root for some reason and need to run a backup. I use vBulletin and am wondering how that works with the database. Would the database be stored in the root somewhere, or would I have to take one of my database backups, create a new database in cpanel, and import the backup into the new database (and link to it via config.php)?
Second, I'm looking to increase my backup security. I understand that offsite backup servers are great if the site gets hacked, but let's say the server gets hacked. Not that I find it likely, but if it does happen from what I understand the hacker could destroy the rsync'd backups because the key is right there.
I'm looking for a backup solution that would keep this from happening. I'm thinking of going with an external RAID harddrive configuration with DVD backups at regular intervals (probably weekly).
I'm considering using an automatic FTP from one of my backup roots (more bandwidth) to my computer. If I do this, and my main root is compromised, is there any way the hacker could compromise my home computer or backups. Further, is there a way to get the information on my home computer without simply copying everything over every time, because that will really eat bandwidth and take a lot of time. I know rsync is great because it only updates, and thus if I lose all my folders it won't delete the backup, whereas an FTP that happened at the correct time could potentially do so.
I hope that makes sense, thank you for any help.
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| Posted by ncntnb, 06-13-2009, 05:38 PM |
| Try rackspace cloud files
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| Posted by woods01, 06-13-2009, 08:17 PM |
| Whatever you decide, using an ftp method (unless it's sftp) wouldn't really be a good idea.
Theres alot of very affordable backup providers out there, im not sure what rackspace charges but im sure it's not your most affordable route for just backing up a few things. I did try to find their pricing but the site wouldn't load, kept hanging @ liveperson trying to load
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| Posted by defen, 06-14-2009, 12:46 AM |
| I'm not looking to add another backup host. I already use two and I think that's probably enough.
I want to add something over which I have control and something I can easily make copies of. Further, I want something that's segregated from my main server.
One option is to "pull" from the backup server's side via a cron job, instead of pushing from my main server, so that if the main is compromised the backup is not. Even with that, though, I'm still looking for a good method to transfer from a backup server, or main server, to a home computer for storage on RAID and DVDs.
Thanks.
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| Posted by -OY-, 06-14-2009, 12:58 AM |
| Rsnapshot can either "pull" or "push". You might want to look into that.
For downloading it to your home computer, you can install rsync for Windows through Cygwin.
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| Posted by defen, 06-14-2009, 08:11 AM |
| Thank you for your help, OY.
So rsnapshot could be configured on my main server, and then I could utilize there and pull the data per the below question.
I'm not very knowledgeable about cron, but from my reading as long as one has shell access they can set up a cron job, without cPanel or anything. If I use a pull method for the backup servers and the main is compromised, will that keep my data safe? I know the key will be there, but as far as I know an intruder will not know where data is pulled to, correct? Whereas with a push method they could very easily get into the backup servers and destroy everything.
Thanks again, I'll look into cygwin, and again the pull method I presume for security.
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| Posted by -OY-, 06-14-2009, 12:04 PM |
| Hi,
rSnapshot should be installed on the backup server, in order for you to "pull" the backups. Otherwise, if you install it on your normal server, it'll be just be another "push" method.
Cronjobs can be set without root access. Any user on the system should be able to run cronjobs.
If your main server gets compromised; they wouldn't be able to login to the backup server as you didn't setup keys for it. Nor do you need to setup crons on the main server itself... hackers wouldn't see that you have an automatic backup in place.
Hope that helps.
P.S. Try the cwrsync package: http://www.itefix.no/i2/node/10650.
- Otto
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| Posted by apollo, 06-14-2009, 12:53 PM |
| this is why we always suggest our clients using "pull files from the server" method/backup service. If you are using simple file push (without moving the files somewhere else) from the server you may risk losing your server content & backup content in case of h*cking...
Ps. remember to encrypt files
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| Posted by defen, 06-14-2009, 06:58 PM |
| I did setup keys for rsync to work, though, so is that what you're talking about? And aren't those two-way keys? Or are those keys just ways to check and provide no other information a hacker could get?
I do have two .job files, but they both make backups locally (on root) and should give no indication of an external backup.
Also, I assume I can install rSnapshot with just SSH access? I may just pull regular backups via rsync. The reason is that if something is compromised I would be concerned that perhaps I had a bad database here or there. Since my backup hosts provide room for hundreds of mySQL databases at my current size, I like to keep a few around just in case. I am going to try cwrsync for windows, as that looks pretty promising.
Thanks, let me know your thoughts on that.
Apollo, should I encrypt the files because they're being sent out in the open? And can you explain how to do that?
Thanks for all the help everyone.
Last edited by defen; 06-14-2009 at 07:06 PM.
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| Posted by defen, 06-14-2009, 08:10 PM |
| So I've set up two .job files to make database backups and a public_html backup. Because I'm on a shared system I can't automate cPanel backups, but I can do them manually every so often and plan to. They're all in one big folder on the root called backups.
Now, I was wondering if I could ask for some help in setting up the "pull" settings. I have two servers, but they should be the same.
I've previously generated keys via the following directions:
I can see where the keys were generated on the backup host, but I don't know where they are on the main host. Do I need to delete anything?
It seems that it's the backup host keys which actually have the main host information, and as such it seems "secure" right now. Do I just need to do an rsync in reverse from what I'm doing now, or is there still a key on the main server?
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