Rookie FTP Question

[splanchak]

I know this is probably a silly questions, but I want to apply the security patches and known bug fixes to try fix a bug on my site, but I need to back it up first.

I know how to back up the database, but how do I ftp down the rest of the site?

[kuroi]

How you download a complete site with FTP would depend on what FTP client you can using. In most you can simply drag and drop the files and folders in the top level folder and that will bring everything else over.

But before you do that, take a minute to look for a better solution. Downloading all the files individually will take some time, However, most hosting accounts will have a file manager that will allow you to zip up the files giving you a backup in just a few seconds.

[frank18]

If you are using cPanel then you can take advantage of the Home Directory Backup. This packs all files on the server into a compact file which can be downloaded and stored on your computer. In case of a major crash or similar you can easily restore the site by uploading the package. This is separate from DB backups.

Alternatively you may want to get a piece of software like FileZilla and download any file(s) or directories to your HDD. You will need to ask your host about specific configuration details such as ports used etc

If FTP'ing then use the secure sftp protocol which encrypts data during transfer.

[splanchak]

Thanks!

I'm looking at my cPanel and it seems to have and option called Full Backup which says...

"A full backup includes all of the files in your home directory, your MySQL Databases, and your email forwarders and filters. You can backup your account to preserve your data or to move your account to another cPanel server."

If I do this do I still have to do a separate database backup?

[splanchak]

There is also something called a Backup Wizard which says this:

"Backup

This feature allows you to download a zipped copy of your entire site or parts of it onto your computer.

The following are backed up and included in a zip file for your convenience:

* Home Directory
* MySQL Databases
* Email forwarders configuration
* Email filters configuration"

Would that work too? And would the database be taken care of this way as well?

[kuroi]

Yes it would. Though this would be rather excessive each time you apply a patch or a mod.

The security patch that you are about to apply doesn't affect the database, so there's no need to back it up. When installing patches for clients at Kuroi (which we do most days) we just us the "compress" option in the file manager.

[frank18]

A Full Backup does exactly that: it backs up everything including DB's

I usually backup my DB's (have several independent sites on the same server) individually. It gives me better control in case I need to restore a single DB

I also use the Home Directory backup facility AND individual FTP transfers (handy if you want to work on individual files) to download the whole file / directory structure. Tedious but handy.

Frank

[splanchak]

Okay, very helpful, thank you!