Hey everyone! I've been running a personal project for over a decade, and it recently gained some traction, prompting a move from shared hosting to a dedicated server. Unfortunately, I lost the automatic database backups from my previous provider. I'm now on the hunt for an effective backup system for my database.
The raw SQL dump is about 1.5GB, so it's manageable in size, but since the project isn't monetized, I'm looking for budget-friendly storage options. I'm mainly concerned about where to store the backups, as the backup creation process itself is sorted out since my entire project is already on GitHub, so I don't need to worry about files outside of the database. Any recommendations? Thanks!
9 Answers
If you’re on a tight budget, look into options like Google Drive or Dropbox. They can be affordable for storage, and just remember to encrypt your dumps before uploading.
I keep backups on a second VPS and my laptop. The VPS stores the last 10 days of backups, while my laptop keeps a few days’ worth. I just use a simple bash script for the automation.
I use a bash script that utilizes s3cmd to copy my daily dumps to an S3 bucket. The costs are minimal—less than a dollar a month for storage, and it works well for smaller databases like mine! You can check out my script here: https://github.com/woxxy/MySQL-backup-to-Amazon-S3
I usually compress the SQL dump and upload it to the free tier of Backblaze B2 for storage. If you're utilizing Laravel, the Spatie package can help automate backups. Otherwise, you can consider using tools like Coolify or Dokploy for the same.
I rely on an encrypted Restic backup along with Backblaze B2 for storage. It’s secure and cost-effective, especially for smaller databases like yours.
For my projects that run on Laravel, I've had great success with the Spatie backup package. I back up my database to a NAS at home via SFTP, and I also use S3 for additional off-site storage.
In production, I use Percona Xtrabackup to create backups and Restic for management. I store everything on a dedicated server along with Backblaze B2, which is super affordable at around $6/month per TB. For home use, you can simply send backups to your NAS and mirror them for safety.
I run all my projects on a VPS where I just click a box to enable backups for $5 a month. It saves me a ton of hassle and gives me peace of mind without any extra setup.
Do you guys actually store backups?
Totally agree! Testing backups is just as important as having them in the first place.
You'd be surprised! We not only keep backups, but we also test them by going through a full recovery process to ensure they actually work. Without testing, backups may not be worth much.