Backup your whole website+database in zip format, get it via mail!

Last updated: 10 April, 2007



Winner of 'Superior Code Award' for the month (April, 2007) by http://www.planet-source-code.com/!

Who doesn't know how important it is to backup your site/blog often? Again, if you use dynamic sites such as Joomla or a forum (e.g. IPB), there is always a risk to be hacked, no matter how security concern you are!

In my experience, it is not always easy to regularly maintain backups, especially, if you don't have a good internet connection. What if your site prepare backups for you and send it automatically to your inbox (Gmail, perhaps)?

This script do the same:
Backup your whole website/blog by compressing it in zip format

Split the zip files to smaller size so that you can easily get them via mail. (Gmail doesn't allow attachments more than 10 MB, this splitting solves this problem)

Backup your selected database by compressing it in zip format (*NEW*)

Send backup files to you via mail!


Without relying to basic PHP Mail, this script send mail via SMTP (authentication supported), which is much more powerful. In our test run, it could send 250 MB backup file in small 9 MB pieces each to a GMail account!


Credits:
This script is written by Mehdi Hasan (Me ). http://www.omicronlab.com/

Swift SMTP mailer library is taken from http://www.swiftmailer.org/


Download from here: backup.zip

(Installation instructions are included in the zip file.)

A few days ago u told me about another script. is this one better?

EDIT: Oh sorry i dint read the post completely. you made it! wow! Besides, the other script backed up only database but yours does to entire site.

implementing it right now on my site!

by the way, where do i keep the 'backup' folder? should it be in public_html or above it? -- ohh sorry its written in the instructions.


This post has been edited by Nipon: Apr 7 2007, 12:30 PM

Ya! Although the code is not so complex, it was enough time consuming because there is not a single script like this available and I had to test it with different mailing systems and different coding styles.

The final result I think is a good one. We are also using it on OmicronLab server

PS> Don't forget to let me know when you get your first Backup!

Another point, make sure you don't send too much backups to your Gmail inbox. When using with cron jobs, set it up carefully. It can easily take you to your site's bandwidth limit if you have a large site.

I've updated the backup script. Now it can send database backup also (optional)

Now it works perfectly (updated just now). Also tested on Bangla Bhai's server

Great News!

This script has won the Superior Coding Contest Award for the month of April, 2007 from PlanetSourceCode.

Details can be known from here:
Script Page

Great!! Another feather in your cap.

Thanks Nipon

Hi great script working well on my IPB forum,

Can you show me how to include this at beginning of script?

rename .php .bak /home/username/public_html/forums/index.php
rename down index /home/username/public_html/forums/down.php

and once complete change it back (with this?)

rename index down /home/username/public_html/forums/index.php
rename .bak .php /home/username/public_html/forums/index.bak


Obviously i have down.php in both locations and will replace the username part

i was just going to copy and paste the commands in but would like it , if you can help?

many thanks GAry.

p.s can i recommend this script to others IPB users ?

Is there any way to include the ability to omit certain folders from being backed up? I have some folders that contain some pretty large files (100mb+) and do not really need to have them backed up.

Either that or perhaps allow an option to skip files larger than a certain size?

I joined the forum simply to say what a fantastic backup script this is. I looked at many and yours is by far the best. Thank you very much.

Welcome to the Forum. glad that you like it