backing up my FA configuration

richb201 · 8 Dec 2020, 20:48

I am running FA on my docker based PC. I'd like to backup the FA database to BackInTime just in case. What directory do I backup?

dan · 11 Dec 2020, 14:19

You'd have to open the port to your database. The ports section here: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/FusionAuth/fusionauth-containers/master/docker/fusionauth/docker-compose.yml

Then you can connect to your posgresql database with any typical postgresql backup tool such as pg_dump. I'm afraid I'm not familiar with them, so can't offer any recommendations.

richb201 · 15 Jun 2021, 15:30

Well, I have been informed by AWS tech support that when I do a "snapshot" of my RDS database, the entire dbase is being back up.

But I am concerned that FA was not written to keep ALL THE DATA in the database? Can you confirm with me that if I install a new copy of FA , as long as it is connected to my same gloabl database, it will work exactly like the other servers?

joshua · 21 Jun 2021, 21:45

@richb201,

I cannot speak to how RDS within AWS configures/performs their DB backups. A typical workflow for customers is to use PG dump. Once the DB is dumped, you can run a PG Restore (or equivalent MySQL command if needed). To verify data integrity, you can check the total number of records before and after the database dump. RDS AWS backups may be just as seamless, but I cannot speak to them as I have not used them.

The only other thing would be to be mindful of is encrypting your data in transit. There are a number of tutorials online that incorporate or give consideration to encryption and security as part of a DB backup / restore operation (AWS may even have a guide).

I am 99 percent confident that FusionAuth persists most of your data in the database (with the exception of possibly Kickstart files). So you would stand up your database (back up or otherwise) and point FusionAuth to that database. From there FusionAuth should work. You will likely need to reindex your data (from the Admin UI) to reestablish your User and Entity search indexes.

If you are concerned, you run a trial operation in the cloud. Standup a docker image, connect to an RDS from AWS. Back it up. Stand up the backup. Point FusionAuth to the new database. Confirm that everything is as it should be.

I hope that this helps!

Josh