OpenEMR Backup Tools

Overview

Words of advice on backing up:

• The first most basic requirement of any database is a regular, frequent, comprehensive backup system.
• Losing data should terrify you.
• Hardware fails. Lightning strikes happen.
• A good backup strategy is drudgery but nothing will give such a warm, glowing, fuzzy, feeling like successfully recovering your system from a recent backup after a lightning strike that burns out a critical component on your server.
• Backup your databases on a regular basis (daily is best). Make frequent secure backups of the MySQL data and the data in the openemr web directory.
• If you have the resources it is best to back up to an off site facility. This can be done electronically over a secure internet connection (VPN) or you can burn CDs / DVDs and carry them off site.
• Always backup before starting an upgrade.

Linux

• Mandriva Backup : This method/script will backup the complete MySQL database, the complete PostGreSQL database, the OpenEMR patient scanned documents file directories, the OpenEMR directory containing patient billing files, and the FreeB directory containing patient billing files. It will automatically backup to a secure local directory and burn the encrypted data to a multisession DVD(so, you can just leave the same DVD in the drive).
• Ubuntu Backup : This method/script will backup the complete MySQL database and the complete OpenEMR web directory. It will automatically backup encrypted data to a local directory and burn the encrypted data to a multisession DVD(so, you can just leave the same DVD in the drive). Here is a link to the raw script, if wanted: http://www.bradymd.com/fullbackup4.sh
• Backing Up Using the Built In Tools : OpenEMR has a built in 'backup' facility. this page describes how to use it, and how to manually perform the same task.
• Dump Database - Hourly  : This procedure creates a database dump every hour and cleans out old backups once a day.

Windows

• Windows Backup/Recovery a Downloadable HowTo using Windows Batch Routine Files (PDF Copy Enclosed) written by Joe Holzer.