VPS v1 Support Documentation

getback - Restoring Files from Backup

We use a multi-level data backup system in order to protect the content of your Virtual Private Server. The backup system includes mirrored primary drives, a backup drive, and tape backups. In order to restore files from the backup drive or tape backups, we have created a utility called getback.

NOTE: While our redundant data backup system does a good job of protecting your data from accidental deletion or system failure, we strongly recommend you also keep an off-site copy of your site on your local system.

To use getback, connect to your Virtual Private Server via Telnet or SSH and run the following command.

% getback file-name(s)

Substitute a single file name, a directory name, or a list of file names for file-name(s) above. getback will search the backup archives, find all matches, and display a date-sorted list of possible sources from which to restore the requested file(s). Both online (disk) and tape backup sources are listed.

• Online Backups

  If an online (disk) source is selected, the file is restored immediately. In your home directory, a directory named RESTORE_DIR/online/ will be created, where the restored file will be stored in a sub-directory based on where the file was located. For example, if you run getback sendmail.cf from your ~/etc directory, the restored file will be located in ~/RESTORE_DIR/online/backup/home/username/etc/sendmail.cf.

• Tape Backups

  If a tape backup is selected, an E-mail message is automatically sent to our Support Staff requesting the file(s) be restored from tape. It usually takes up to two days to process tape restore requests.

  NOTE: A Service Charge is applicable when files are restored from tape backup. Restoring from disk backup is done free of charge.

Examples

If you want to list all backups we have made of the file ~/www/htdocs/index.html, do the following from your Virtual Private Server command prompt.

% getback ~/www/htdocs/index.html
(1) Online
           3675  22 Nov 2002  

(2) 22 May 2003, on tape (fee required)
           3675  22 Nov 2002  /usr/home/username/usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs/index.html

(3) 15 May 2003, on tape (fee required)
           3675  22 Nov 2002  /usr/home/username/usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs/index.html

Select a backup to restore: (0 or ^C for none): 

You can restore more than one file at a time. The following command lists the backup copies of both the ~/usr/mail/rus and ~/usr/mail/dave files.

% getback ~/usr/mail/rus ~/usr/mail/dave
 1) Online
        23028   15 Jan 2003
        28444   17 Jan 2003
 
 2) 16 Jan 2003, on tape (fee required)
        23028   15 Jan 2003     /usr/home/username/usr/mail/rus
        7251    16 Jan 2003     /usr/home/username/usr/mail/dave

 3) 5 Jan 2003, on tape (fee required)
        23028   5 Jan 2003     /usr/home/username/usr/mail/rus
        7251    4 Jan 2003     /usr/home/username/usr/mail/dave

Select a backup to restore: (0 or ^C for none):