Recently I have been trying many free WordPress’ backup plugins that are currently uploaded to WordPress.org. I do have a backup plan but it’s manual and I was looking for something automated — where the backup jobs would be performed at a given time interval.
One thing I didn’t do was to try some of the premium or paid versions like VaultPress, but because I was so frustrated with all of the plugins I tried, I just decided to stick with my currently plan instead.
Some of the plugins I tried have good descriptions and lots of compelling reviews, but none worked like the way I wanted them to. For instance, one plugin with good reviews promised to backup my site and its database to Google Drive. The problem with that plugin is it took too god-damn-long to complete. About 6 hours or more and not all the files were backup when it was finished.
Another that promised to backup my files to Dropbox also failed. I know this site is big, above 5GB of data, but it shouldn’t take more than 6 hours to get one site backup to Google Drive or Dropbox. So I gave up and I’m sticking to my current plan.
Here’s my current plan. I registered for a free Amazon EC2 cloud storage and installed Centos OS. I then I added few GB of storage to host my backups. Once every week, I sign on to this site using SSH and backup my data and files by running the commands below.
For the Database, I run the line below.
mysqldump -u root -p database_name > database_name.sql
I enter my password and wait for the database dump to complete. I then run the following commands to backup my site.
tar -cvf wordpress.tar /var/www/
Wait for the files to be backed-up. When it’s done, I sign on my Amazon server and remotely copy the data over to it using scp commands.
scp [email protected]:/backup/wordpress.tar /backups/
Do the same for the database and voila, my backups take about 10 mins (10 minutes) to completely move the files over to Amazon storage. I then shutdown the server when the backup is done so I don’t get charged.
That’s better than 6 hours and not sure if all your data were backed-up.
If something happens to the site (hackers hacked it or the server crashed) I will be able to completely restore the data. I have don’t it once, after I mistakenly deleted my server data.
I don’t know if you’re having any success with WordPress backup plugin, but if you do, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.
My monthly bill from Amazon ranges from $.60 to $1.20. Less than $2 per month.
Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best automated backup solutions for Wordpress blogs?
Some popular automated backup solutions for Wordpress blogs include VaultPress, UpdraftPlus, and BackupBuddy.
How can I backup my Wordpress blog to Amazon EC2 via SSH?
To backup your Wordpress blog to Amazon EC2 via SSH, you can use commands like mysqldump to backup the database and tar to backup the files.
What are the drawbacks of using backup plugins for Wordpress?
Some drawbacks of using backup plugins for Wordpress include slow backup processes, incomplete backups, and compatibility issues with large websites.
How long does it take to backup a 5GB Wordpress site to Google Drive or Dropbox?
Backing up a 5GB Wordpress site to Google Drive or Dropbox should not take more than a few hours. If it takes significantly longer, there may be issues with the backup process or plugin being used.
What are the benefits of using Amazon EC2 for Wordpress backups?
Amazon EC2 offers reliable cloud storage, scalability, and the ability to automate backup processes using SSH commands, making it a popular choice for Wordpress backups.
Can I schedule automated backups for my Wordpress blog on Amazon EC2?
Yes, you can schedule automated backups for your Wordpress blog on Amazon EC2 by setting up cron jobs to run backup commands at specified intervals.
What is the recommended storage size for hosting Wordpress backups on Amazon EC2?
The recommended storage size for hosting Wordpress backups on Amazon EC2 depends on the size of your website and frequency of backups. It's advisable to allocate enough storage space to accommodate future growth.
Are manual backups or automated backups better for Wordpress blogs?
Automated backups are generally better for Wordpress blogs as they ensure regular and consistent backups without relying on manual intervention, reducing the risk of data loss.