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A firewall and hardened SSH configuration protect against intrusion, but nothing protects against accidental deletion, failed updates, or hardware failure except a working backup. This guide sets up automated, scheduled backups using rsync and cron, with an off-site copy for real disaster recovery.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu or Debian VPS
• Root or sudo access
• A second location to store backups (another server, object storage, or your local machine)

Step 1 — Decide What to Back Up

At minimum, back up:

• Application files (e.g. /var/www)
• Databases (via mysqldump/pg_dump, not raw data files)
• Configuration files (Nginx/Apache configs, cron jobs, SSH keys if custom)

Step 2 — Create a Database Backup Script

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/backup-db.sh

#!/bin/bash
TIMESTAMP=$(date +%F)
BACKUP_DIR="/var/backups/mysql"
mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"
mysqldump -u root --all-databases | gzip > "$BACKUP_DIR/all-databases-$TIMESTAMP.sql.gz"
find "$BACKUP_DIR" -type f -mtime +7 -delete

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/backup-db.sh

Step 3 — Create a File Backup Script

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/backup-files.sh

#!/bin/bash
rsync -az --delete /var/www/ /var/backups/www/

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/backup-files.sh

Step 4 — Sync Backups Off-Site

Local backups protect against application mistakes, but not against the VPS itself failing. Sync to a remote destination via rsync over SSH:

rsync -az -e "ssh -p 2222" /var/backups/ user@backup-server:/backups/vps1/

For unattended execution, set up SSH key authentication (no password) from this server to the backup destination.

Step 5 — Schedule Everything With Cron

sudo crontab -e

0 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/backup-db.sh
15 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/backup-files.sh
30 2 * * * rsync -az -e "ssh -p 2222" /var/backups/ user@backup-server:/backups/vps1/

Step 6 — Test Restoring (This Step Is Not Optional)

A backup that has never been restored is not a verified backup. Test regularly:

gunzip -c all-databases-2026-08-01.sql.gz | mysql -u root

Common Errors

Cron job silently fails — cron runs with a minimal environment; use absolute paths for all commands and redirect output to a log for debugging: >> /var/log/backup.log 2>&1.

Disk fills up from old backups — confirm the retention/cleanup command (find ... -mtime +7 -delete) is actually running.

Best Practices

• Follow the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies, 2 different media/locations, 1 off-site
• Encrypt backups containing sensitive data before transferring them off-site
• Test restores quarterly, not just backup creation
• Also check whether your VPS provider offers snapshot functionality as an additional, faster recovery option

FAQ

Are provider snapshots enough on their own?
Snapshots are fast and convenient for full-server recovery, but they typically live on the same infrastructure as your VPS — pair them with off-site file/database backups for true disaster recovery.

How long should I keep backups?
A common baseline is 7 daily, 4 weekly, and 3-6 monthly backups, adjusted to your compliance and storage requirements.

Continue Reading

• VPS Security Checklist for Beginners
• How to Install MySQL/MariaDB on a Linux VPS
• How to Monitor Auth Logs and Detect Intrusion Attempts

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