Site Backup Policy

Schedule Regular Backups:

• Define the frequency of backups (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly).
• Schedule automated backups using cron jobs or other scheduling tools.

Backup Files and Databases:

• Files:
  • Use scp or sftp to securely transfer files.
  • Compress files before transfer to save bandwidth and storage space.
• Databases:
  • Dump the database using appropriate tools (e.g., mysqldump for MySQL, pg_dump for PostgreSQL).
  • Compress the database dump file before transfer.

Verify Integrity of Backups:

• Generate checksums (e.g., sha256sum) for files and database dumps on the remote server.
• Transfer the checksums along with the backup files.
• Generate checksums for the downloaded files on the local machine.
• Compare the local and remote checksums to verify integrity.

Remove Temporary Files:

• If a zip or dump file was created on the remote server, remove it after successful transfer and verification.

Store Backups Securely:

• Use secure and redundant storage solutions (e.g., cloud storage, external hard drives, NAS).
• Ensure backups are encrypted to protect sensitive data.

Maintain Backup Retention Policy:

• Define a retention period for backups (e.g., keep daily backups for a week, weekly backups for a month, monthly backups for a year).
• Implement automated cleanup of old backups to manage storage space.

Document and Test Backup Procedures:

• Document the backup process and procedures clearly.
• Regularly test backup restoration to ensure data can be recovered successfully.

Monitor and Report Backup Status:

• Implement monitoring to check the success of backup operations.
• Generate reports or notifications for backup status (e.g., success, failure, integrity checks).