Backups From Cpanel

[kaseytraeger]

Hi all,

 

I just noticed this cool backup feature that's now part of cPanel. Decided I'd like to try it out but soon learned that I don't really know what I'm doing. Help please!

 

On my main cPanel page, I clicked the link for "Backup" under the section for "Site Maintenance." Once at the Backup page, I clicked the link for "Generate/Download a Full Backup." At the next page, I chose "Remote FTP Server" as my backup destination and entered my email address.

 

So my steps were...

cPanel Home >> Backup >> Generate/Download a Full Backup >> Destination: Remote FTP Server.

 

After the backup was complete, I received an email containing the following information:

 

Can't call method "login" on an undefined value at /usr/local/cpanel/bin/ftpput line

24.

--------------------------------------------------------

Copying Mail files....Done

Copying frontpage file....Done

Copying proftpd file....Done

Copying www logs.............Done

Grabbing mysql dbs...Done

Grabbing mysql privs...Done

Copying mailman lists....Done

Copying mailman archives....Done

Copying homedir....Done

Copying cpuser file.......Done

Copying crontab file.......Done

Copying quota info.......Done

Storing Subdomains....Done

Storing Parked Domains....Done

Storing Addon Domains....Done

Copying password.......Done

Copying shell.......Done

pkgacctfile is: /tmp/backup-1.31.2004_03-13-22_kaseysc.tar.gz

Creating Archive ....Done

 

I tried looking in my /tmp/ directory for the backup file, but it's not there. Can anyone clarify for me what the email is telling me and where I can find my backup file? At this point, I'm not sure exactly where my tar.gz backup file is, except that perhaps its lost somewhere in the vast ether of cyberspace!

 

Also, there are three choices for backup download destination, but I'm not sure what the benefits/disadvantages of each method is, and which method is the most common one in use. If you can explain this to me, you truly rock. The three download destinations are:

(1) Home Directory

(2) FTP Remote Server

(3) FTP Remote Server (passive mode transfer)

 

Thanks a bunch,

Kasey

[TCH-Rick]

If you want the backup stored in your home directory choose the first option. It will make the backup and send you an email when complete. You can then use an ftp program to retrieve the file and download it to your local computer.

 

The other two options are if you want the file sent to another server. The email you receieved was just letting you know that the file was stored and ready to be sent ftp. You should have provided an ftp address when running the backup and the server would have tried to send the file to that address. The /tmp directory was actually a server system directory and not your /tmp directory. Once the file was sent (or failed due to not finding the address) that file would be deleted.

 

The advantage of the first method is it is fast and puts the file where you can get to it easily. The disadvantage is it uses your disk space and if you are using most of your disk space already it will often put you over your quota.

 

The advantage of the second is it uses none of your disk space but you do have to have another server or ftp server set up.

[TCH-Thomas]

but soon learned that I don't really know what I'm doing

I´m an expert on those things

 

This backup file that is made, is that compressed (smaller filesize) or each thing it backs up its original size?

[TCH-Rick]

It is compressed.

[taznumber1]

but keep in mind that using the ftp option, or downloading your backup from your accont using your local ftp client that it does use up your bandwidth. So I would watch how many times that I downloaded a full backup. But keep in mind that TCH does to backups every day on your account.

[kaseytraeger]

So does this mean that my backup will be deleted since I did not specify another server as the destination for the FTP process?

 

Kasey