How to perform one-time backups with SiteWorx

How Nexcess clients on physical (non-cloud) servers perform a one-time backup of hosting account files and data. 

What you need

• A Nexcess account on a physical (non-cloud) server. If you wish to schedule backups on your Nexcess Cloud account, please contact our support team by email or through your Client Portal.
  
  
• Login credentials for your SiteWorx account. 
  • If you do not know your password, click Forgot your password on the login page.
  • If you do not know the web address for your SiteWorx login page, either refer to your Welcome Email or contact our 24-hour support team for assistance.
    
    
• Available disk space on your server; you may view available disk space from your SiteWorx home page.
  
  
• A previous request to our support team to enable backups, as SiteWorx backups are disabled by default.

Creating backups

This procedure outlines how to perform a one-time backup. If you wish to schedule automatic backups at weekly or monthly intervals, see instead How to schedule automatic backups with SiteWorx.

1. Log in to your SiteWorx account.
   • If you do not know your password, click Forgot your password on the login page.
   • If you do not know the web address for your SiteWorx login page, either refer to your Welcome Email or contact our 24/7support team for assistance.
     
     
2. In the main menu, click Backups > Backup Now.
   
3. In the "Additional input is required" panel, from the Backup Type drop-down list, select one:
   
   
   • Full Backup: Backs up all web files, databases, and email settings. This will not save individual emails.
     
     
   • Partial Backup: Backs up only the elements you choose. You will make this selection after you click Continue.
     
     
   • Structure-Only Backup: Backs up only information related to your SiteWorx account, such as usernames, passwords, quotas, and other settings.
     
     
     
4. In the same panel, from the Backup Where drop-down list, specify the location to store the backup. Regardless of your choice, you may also use SiteWorx to retrieve the backup. Refer to How to download backup files in SiteWorxfor more information.
   
   
   • Default Location: Stores the backup at the following path, where [username] is the first 8 characters of your domain name, and [example.com] is your domain name:  /home/[username]/[domain.com]/iworx-backup/
     
     
   • Local File: Stores the backup at the location you specify after you click Continue.
     
     
   • FTP: Stores the backup on another server using FTP; you will enter additional details during Step 6.
     
     
   • SFTP/SCP: Stores the backup on another server using SFTP or SCP; you will enter additional details during Step 6.
     
     
5. Click Continue.
   
   
6. The Create Backup panel will now ask for additional information, which will depend on the choices you made in Step 3 and Step 4:
   
   
   1. In the Email status to: field, enter the email address to receive backup status updates. By default, SiteWorx uses the email address associated with your SiteWorx account.
      
      
   2. If you selected a partial backup in Step 3, in the Backup Type section, indicate the data type or types to be backed up.
      
      
   3. If you selected FTP or SFTP/SCP in Step 4, in the Backup Where section, enter the path, login credentials, hostname, and port.
      
      
   4. In the Backup When section, indicate your preferred hour and day for the backup to occur.
      
7.  Once you have specified all of the necessary information, click Schedule Backup. The duration of the operation will vary according to your individual choices, but SiteWorx will send a notification email designated in Step 6a when complete.

Restoring backups

Full backups and structure-only backups cannot be restored through SiteWorx. They must be restored through NodeWorx by your system administrator. If you have a Shared or SIP plan, send an email our support team with the target restoration date as well as the names or categories of files you want restored.

Backup files are compressed into a .tgz file and stored at the specified location. You can open it using common file compression programs such as WinZip, Zipeg, tar,  gunzipx, and others. Refer to How to download backup files with SiteWorx and How to restore partial backups with SiteWorx for more information.

For 24-hour assistance any day of the year, contact our support team by email or through your Client Portal.