Backup & restore
Overview
A complete backup consists of three parts. Whoever backs up only one of them does not have a backup but a subset:
- The database. All business data.
- The file storage. Uploaded files and generated document PDFs do not live in the database.
- The key pair for sign-in. Without it every issued session is invalid; a new pair produces a
working state but signs out every logged-in user.
On top of that comes the environment configuration with the credentials. It does not belong in the same backup as the data — otherwise key and lock travel in the same envelope.
Restore
Order matters: first restore the database, then the file storage, then put the key pair back in place. Afterwards clear the application cache and restart the background processes.
After every restore check three things: signing in, opening a file and generating a document PDF. Those three cover the three backup parts.
Regularity and rehearsal
A backup that has never been restored is a guess. Restore it into a throwaway environment at least once — the first real incident is the wrong moment to find out that a part is missing.
Before every update a database dump is additionally created automatically. It does not replace the regular backup: it covers only the database and is retained for a limited time.
Common problems
Everyone is signed out after the restore. The key pair was not backed up or not restored.
Files are missing although the database is complete. File storage lives outside the database and needs its own backup.
Documents cannot be regenerated. Check whether Chromium is present on the restored server.