XCloner - A Free Back-Up & Recovery Script

[ardhill]

MODS: Feel free to move this post. I wasn't sure where to put it.

OK, I found a nice back-up utility we can use with Zen Cart.

NOTE: I have nothing to do with this software, website nor organisation in any way. I just came across it myself.

It is an open source set of scripts, which you upload to your own site, configure, and set your cron jobs. You can then back-up your database, web site files or both at an interval that suits you. You can also restore the site using this script.

I was interested in a back-up script as I couldn't figure out how to do it myself using cron, and my host won't provide help in this area as they sell a back-up facility themselves.

Now I can schedule my own back ups of database and site files. It will allow me to save the backups to my local server, email them to me (if mail server allows that file size), send to an ftp location or even Amazon S3 storage.


Here are the details:

Website: http://www.xcloner.com/

BTW, it also runs as a plugin for wordpress and Joomla, but you need to configure it as a standalone script for Zen Cart.


I have it saving my back-up to my web server - Here is how I did it:

1. I downloaded the script (standalone version) and manual (go to web site above).

2. I unzipped, and uploaded the folders to the root of my web site. My ZenCart is also in the root directory.

3. I created new folders in the root: administrator/backups

4. Added an index file into the folders. I just used on of the ZenCart ones that blocks access to the folder root.

5. chmod 777 the backups folder I just created

6. Added these disallow rules to my robots file:
Disallow: /XCloner/
Disallow: /administrator/

7. Open a browser and go to

http://www.yourWebSite.com/XCloner/

8. Made the appropriate changes to the files.

9. Notes of a few of the configuration changes I made:
XCloner - Configuration > General:
XCloner - Backup Start Path: /home/My-Server-Name/public_html/
XCloner - Backup Store Path: /home/My-Server-Name/public_html/administrator/backups
[My-Server-Name should be appropriate to your server configuration]

10. I went through all the tabs and in most cases just accepted the default and they worked for me.

11. This may be obvious to most people, but for cron job execution I did the following when I set the job in my web servers cPanel:
The primary script - I just copied and pasted the 'path' shown in the cron page of the XCloner back end e.g.

/usr/bin/php  /home/My-Server/public_html/XCloner/cloner.cron.php

I also set up a different second script to run at another interval, and had to use a different configuration. I use the 'links' method shown in the cron page. Note to people as unlearned in these matters as me: copy the work 'links ' as well as the URL, and remember top add the extra bit to the file name which you need with a 2nd or subsequent cron configuration in this script. e.g. mine looks like: links

http://www.My-Web-Site.com/XCloner/cloner.cron.php?config=files-only.php

12. Add your e-mail address so you can tell if it's running ok, and away you go.

I have given you all the details that I did because the XCloner organisation have very basic free help. They want you to pay for their support - that's how they are recouping their costs and paying the staff.

I am no expert in php, databases or cron. So I can really only tell you what I did that worked for me.

I have passed on this information as I though it was a very nice script, easy enough to set-up - well, I manged it! And I was pleased that I found it, so I thought some others may like this back-up and recovery script as well.

If you run wordpress or Joomla, then they have a plug in version - I haven't used then myself so can't tell you much about them. Though I guess it is the same script, but already configured for installation into these applications.

BTW, I haven't tried the recovery bit yet, though I assume it works. Nor have i tried saving the back ups to another ftp location, email or Amazon S3 storage.

All the best

Paul

[ardhill]

xCloner have brought out an update for this.

They don't provide details on how to upgrade the standalone script, so I am detailing what I did on my copy that I use with Zen Cart...

Quick version:

1. Back up everything of course
2. Delete the old xcloner folder on your server
3. Upload the new script with the same folder name
4. Replace the new /cloner.config.php file with your old one
5. Add any extra files from your /configs folder to the new one.

Job done.


More detailed version:

1. First thing is to back up your site before making any changes - Oh wait, XCloner does that automatically already :)
2. Just in case, I made a quick compressed copy of the xcloner folder with "File Manger" through cPanel in my web host's interface. Leave the compressed copy on the server till you are happy it is all working.
3. I made downloaded the following files / folders:

XCloner/configs
XCloner/cloner.config.php

The configs folder contains any custom cron commands/pages you made. e.g. I run 2 commands:

(a) A simple database back-up every night
(b) A full file site files back up once a week.

The cloner.config.php is all your configuration for your site, making xcloner specific to you including your xcloner user name and password.

4. I deleted all the contents of the xcloner folder on my server
5. I uploaded all the contents of the new upgrade to the server into the xcloner folder.

(I did it this way rather than just uploading the new upgrade and over writing, as there were some differences in the file structure.)

6. After the new files were uploaded, I copied my old /configs files and the cloner.config.php file overwriting the new ones. This way I kept all my settings.
7. I went in and ran the cron jobs, just to see it was all working fine, which it appears to be.
8. I deleted the compressed 'old xcloner folder' off the server. I still have a local copy though, just in case. I am big into backups - too many catastrophes from not backing up.

Anybody who does any work on their own Zen Cart will have no problems with this process, it simple.


I hope this works for you.

Paul