Backup and Restore Your Server

Why Backups Are Important

Backups protect against:

• Data Loss: Accidental deletion or corruption
• Update Issues: Problems after updates
• Mistakes: Configuration errors or bad changes
• Hardware Failure: Server or disk failures
• Security Issues: Ransomware or attacks

Creating Backups

Method 1: Using Panel Backup Feature

Many panels offer built-in backup systems:

1. Navigate to your server
2. Go to Backups tab or section
3. Click Create Backup or Backup Now
4. Wait for backup to complete
5. Backup is saved and listed in your backups

Method 2: Manual Backup via File Manager

1. Stop Server: Stop your server first
2. Open File Manager: Access your server files
3. Select Files: Choose what to backup:
   • World folders (world/, world_nether/, world_the_end/)
   • plugins/ folder
   • config/ folder
   • server.properties
   • Other important files
4. Download: Download selected files/folders
5. Compress: Create a ZIP file for easier storage

Method 3: Automated Backups

Set up scheduled backups:

1. Go to Schedules or Backups section
2. Create a new backup schedule
3. Configure:
   • Frequency: Daily, weekly, etc.
   • Time: When to run backups
   • Retention: How many backups to keep
   • What to Backup: Select files/folders
4. Save the schedule
5. Backups run automatically

What to Backup

Essential Files

• World Data: All world folders
• Player Data: Player files and statistics
• Configuration: server.properties and config files
• Plugins: Plugin files and configurations
• Logs: Important log files (optional)

Optional Files

• Server JAR: If using custom version
• Resource Packs: If using custom packs
• Scripts: Custom startup scripts
• Databases: If using external databases

Restoring from Backup

Method 1: Panel Restore Feature

1. Go to Backups section
2. Find the backup you want to restore
3. Click Restore or Download
4. Select what to restore (full or partial)
5. Confirm the restoration
6. Wait for restore to complete
7. Restart your server

Method 2: Manual Restore

1. Stop Server: Stop your server
2. Download Backup: Get your backup file
3. Extract: Extract backup files if compressed
4. Backup Current: Save current files (in case you need to revert)
5. Replace Files: Upload and replace files from backup
6. Verify: Check that files are in correct locations
7. Start Server: Start and test the server

Partial Restore

You can restore specific parts:

1. World Only: Restore just world folders
2. Plugins Only: Restore plugin folder
3. Config Only: Restore configuration files
4. Selective: Choose specific files to restore

Backup Best Practices

Frequency

• Daily: For active servers with frequent changes
• Weekly: For stable servers with less activity
• Before Updates: Always backup before major changes
• Before Plugin Changes: Backup before adding/updating plugins

Retention

• Keep Multiple: Maintain several backup generations
• Off-Site Storage: Store backups outside the server
• Regular Cleanup: Remove old backups to save space
• Test Restores: Periodically test that backups work

Storage

• Local: Keep on server (quick access)
• Remote: Store off-server (safer)
• Cloud: Use cloud storage for important backups
• Multiple Locations: Don't rely on single backup location

Automated Backup Setup

Creating a Schedule

1. Navigate to Schedules in your panel
2. Click Create Schedule
3. Set Action to "Backup"
4. Configure:
   • Name: Descriptive name
   • Frequency: How often to backup
   • Time: When to run
   • Files: What to include
5. Save the schedule

Backup Settings

Configure backup options:

• Compression: Compress backups to save space
• Retention: How many backups to keep
• Notification: Get notified when backups complete
• Storage: Where to store backups

Troubleshooting

Backup Fails

1. Check Disk Space: Ensure enough space for backup
2. Check Permissions: Verify file access permissions
3. Check Server Status: Server may need to be stopped
4. Review Logs: Check for error messages
5. Try Manual Backup: Use file manager as alternative

Restore Fails

1. Verify Backup: Ensure backup file is complete
2. Check Format: Verify backup file format
3. Check Space: Ensure enough disk space
4. Stop Server: Server must be stopped for restore
5. Check Permissions: Verify file write permissions

Backup Too Large

1. Exclude Unnecessary: Don't backup logs or cache
2. Compress: Use compression to reduce size
3. Selective Backup: Only backup essential files
4. Clean Server: Remove unnecessary files first
5. Increase Storage: Allocate more storage space

Can't Find Backup

1. Check Location: Look in backups section
2. Check Retention: Backup may have been deleted
3. Check Filters: Verify you're viewing all backups
4. Contact Support: If backups are missing

Backup Verification

Testing Backups

Regularly verify backups work:

1. Test Restore: Restore to a test server
2. Verify Files: Check that files are correct
3. Test Server: Ensure restored server works
4. Check Integrity: Verify no corruption

Backup Integrity

• Checksums: Some systems verify backup integrity
• Test Restores: Periodically test restoring
• Multiple Copies: Keep backups in multiple places
• Version Control: Track backup versions

Emergency Recovery

Quick Restore Process

In case of emergency:

1. Stop Server: Immediately stop the server
2. Assess Damage: Determine what's affected
3. Choose Backup: Select most recent good backup
4. Restore: Restore from backup
5. Verify: Test that everything works
6. Notify Players: Inform players of the situation