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With Snapshot backups for content and databases, do new backups in both modes…

Hey,

With Snapshot backups for content and databases, do new backups in both modes (archive and mirror) only overwrite files/tables that have actually changed and of course add new ones?

How does this action happen for archive and mirror?

A bit of deeper explanation would be great (not too deep just a little) . . . smile.

Thanks,

Greg

Fri, 24 Apr 2015 12:59:13
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Snapshot Pro
  • Adam
    • Support Gorilla

    Hey Greg,

    I hope you’re well today and thank you for your question!

    The Snapshot Pro plugin actually doesn’t perform an incremental backup so everytime the entire snapshot will be created. The difference between the “archive” and “mirror” mode is as follows:

    1) Archive

    The plugin creates a zip archive including all the files selected (either none, “common files” or specifically selected via snapshot’s settings page) and, if configured to, a file exported from the database

    2) Mirror/Sync

    This is aimed to reflect the current structure of your site on your Dropbox destination. If database is to be included, it will be uploaded as a zip archive.

    That said, Snapshot Pro doesn’t perform any “file comparison” etc.

    I hope it helped and if you have any further questions, please ask!

    Regards,

    Adam

  • Greg
    • Smushie Pies

    @Adam Czajczyk

    Thanks.

    With the Archived mode that is the most complete backup and restore option to put the site exactly they way it was then (look and feel and 100% functionality right)?

    The mirror seems to not have the restore option.

    Anyhow, could you let me know some use cases on the “mirror” option with Dropbox. Why would one want that when there is no restore option.

    Basically, please let me know some use cases between archiving vs. mirroring so I can see it a bit more clearly as to “why” and “when” to use either.

    :slight_smile:

  • Adam
    • Support Gorilla

    Hey Greg!

    I hope you’re well today!

    I’m sorry for the delay, I was partially off, so thank you very much for your patience!

    Snapshot supports two backup modes (for Dropbox): “Archive” and “Mirror/Sync”. Let me explain those modes below:

    Archive

    As I said before, Snapshot creates a compressed archive which is in fact a typical backup copy of your site. If you schedule given snapshot, backup will be performed periodically and uploaded to the destination folder. In time, there’ll be more and more archives. You can then easily restore you site by selecting an archive and clicking “Restore” button. This will let you restore your WP install to the state from any point in past (of course from the period for which those snapshot were created).

    It’s probably the easiest and most “foolproof” way to secure your site’s data and content.

    Mirror/sync

    This does not create

    – compressed archives (except for database backup)

    – multiple backups

    Instead the plugin simply “mirrors” the file structure (and files) in the destination folder. Thus, if you create “mirror/sync” snapshot and take a look at it directly on your Dropbox account you’ll see that there’s an exact “replica” of your WP install (actually, of the parts of this install that you’ve selected when creating a snapshot).

    “No restore option” in this case means that there’s no button to click or an easy and fast way to use such a copy to restore your install. However, there’s another good use for it. Here are a few examples:

    – a user deletes an image from the media library by mistake: you can simply download that image from the “mirror copy” without searching for a proper “archive copy” and unpacking it

    – you have made changes to plugin’s code and it broke your install: you can simply download the original plugin from your “mirror copy”

    – a visitor has uploaded a .pdf file via a form on your page and one of the “author” user’s had mistakenly deleted it: again, you can simply download it from this copy (no need to download and extract the entire archive).

    The “mirror/sync” copy also won’t eat up your Dropbox storage space as fast as an “archive” copy because there’s actually only one copy instead of tens or more files that are continuously added to the account.

    I hope that helps!

    If you have any further questions on this, I’ll be glad to help!

    Regards,

    Adam