database backup options

I currently backup via SSH. However, I have to empty the search_index table before doing so because it's so huge - my DB is 4.2GB and the search_index is 2.4GB.

So if there was a database backup tool ever offered, it might be worth taking this into account.

Actually, it might be even better if the search index wasn't such a top-heavy part of a forum database in the first place!
 
This is all very relavent to me, as an ex accounting software salesman.
(we just had to back up that data files which were all in one place with DOS.
But backup up and restoring a forum is so complex.
The terms used are so complicated and varied.

No wonder many people give up running forums
Its just too hard, add to that getting members, moderating, email problems and Facebook
 
It's not that bad. You can manually do it with your cpanel provided by the ISP, even for shared accounts usually.

You could do it from the shell with a command

You could set a cron to automatically do it. I have it set to backup up the sql db every day at 2:50am and 2:50pm. It names them by the day of the week, keeping a 7 day rotation of backups. The folders/files get backed up to an archive once daily. The instructions for these can be found on this forum.

My home PC has a script that reaches out via secure ftp and grabs a copy of the files daily, so they aren't JUST on the ISP. ISP's fail, it has happened to me TWICE over the years, so it's good to have it off-site, IMO.

The isp also does an extra automated backup, via JETBACKUP, but I don't really use/trust/look at those. It's there as a fall back plan if the above 2 fail, though, or if I want to go back more than 7 days.
 
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