Backing up Nginx and Apache is an important step in maintaining website security and performance and the best way to protect important site data from crashes and attacks. Your website is like a precious treasure that you need to protect its content for the day. For this reason, it is very important to back it up regularly. If you use two popular and powerful web servers, Apache and Nginx, this article is for you. To regularly backup the settings and files of these two hosting giants, reading this article will help you. 

First part: Backup from Apache web server

In preparing the backup file of the Apache web server, you need to back up all the directories where the web server files and scripts are stored. In the next section, we will tell you how to do this.

Backing up Apache and Nginx is like having auto body insurance. You don't know when you will need it, but it will be like an angel of salvation.

Part 1: Backup Apache configuration files

Apache web server configuration files are stored in one of the following two directories based on your Linux distribution:

/etc/httpd/
/etc/apache2/

To make a backup of the Apache configuration files, you can use the tar command and create an archive file:

In the above command, instead of the /path/to/backup/ address, you can enter the path where you want to save the backup file.

Part II: Backup of Apache modules

In this part of the Apache backup training, we will go to the additional modules and settings of this web server. On the Apache web server, some PHP module settings and additional configurations may be stored in one of the following directories. In this case, we need to make a backup file from this directory as well:

/etc/php8/
/etc/php7/
/etc/php/

Third part: Backing up website files

Depending on the type of Linux distribution you are using, the website files may be located in one of the following two directories or similar paths:

/var/www/html/
/srv/www/htdocs/

To backup website files, you can use the following command:

sudo tar -czvf /path/to/backup/apache-web-files-backup.tar.gz /var/www/html/

Fourth part: Apache database backup

If you use a database in your Apache web server, you need to make a backup copy of the database as well. With the help of the following command, you can easily backup the web server database:

mysqldump -u username -p database_name > backup.sql

In the above command, replace your username and database title with username and database_name respectively.

Part 5: Backing up Apache logs

Log files in Apache are usually stored in one of the following two directories:

/var/log/httpd/
/var/log/apache2/

You can make a backup copy of them with the help of the following command:

sudo tar -czvf /path/to/backup/apache-log-files-backup.tar.gz /var/log/httpd/

You can replace the directory where you want to save the backup file with /path/to/backup/ in the above command.

Important note: The location of the Apache web server files will vary based on your Linux distribution and configuration. For this reason, make sure of the exact location of the files before backing up and executing the commands.

Second part: Backup from Nginx web server

To backup Nginx web server files, scripts and settings, just like Apache web server, we need to backup all the directories that contain the files of this web server. We will tell you how to backup from Nginx in the next section:

Part 1: Backing up Nginx configuration files

Nginx configuration files are usually located in the following directories:

etc/nginx/nginx.conf/
/etc/nginx/conf.d/

The second directory is where additional web server configurations are stored. To backup these two directories, you can use the tar command as follows and create an archive of these files:

sudo tar -czvf nginx-config-backup.tar.gz /etc/nginx

After running the above command, you have an archive file named nginx-config-backup.tar.gz that stores all the files of the web server configuration directory, i.e. /etc/nginx/.

Second part: Backing up website files and scripts

Website files and scripts may be stored in different locations depending on your settings. The default directory of these files is /var/www/. To backup this part, you can use the following command:

sudo tar -czvf www-backup.tar.gz /var/www.

By executing this command, an archive file containing all the files and scripts of the website will be created with the name of the following file:

www-backup.tar.gz

Depending on your settings, this information may be located in the following directory:

To backup the logs of this web server, you can use the following command:

sudo tar -czvf nginx-log-files-backup.tar.gz /var/log/nginx

You just managed to backup the two giants of web hosting and web applications, Nginx and Apache.

4 important points in backing up Nginx and Apache

1. The directory path in the commands needs to match where they are stored on your system.

2. Make sure you move the backup files to a safe place. It is best to store them on a separate device or support system.

3. Commands can only be executed with administrator access (sudo access). Because some of the configuration files in the Nginx web server are related to the root user and cannot be accessed by normal users rejection

4. If you use SSL/TLS, you need to make a backup copy of the certificate and private keys. The location of these files varies according to your settings.

Now that you know the importance and how to back up Nginx and Apache, it's time to think about providing a powerful and reliable cloud space that will ease your mind about the security of backup information.

Frequently asked questions

1. What is the necessity of Apache and Nginx backup?

By backing up the web server, you can easily restore the data in case of loss and restore the settings and files of the web server to the original state. You can also use the backup file to test new changes in web server settings and files.

2. What Apache and Nginx web servers need to be backed up?

In the backup, you need to backup the main configuration files, module configuration files, website content file, files related to SSL certificate and also the database.

3. Where is the best place to store backup files?

The backup file should be stored in a safe place such as cloud storage, external hard drive or NAS device so that it can be easily accessed in case of problems.

4. What are the most important points in backing up Apache and Nginx?

Backup the web server regularly and periodically. It is better to save the backup files in different places. Also, after backing up, test the backup files and make sure they are recoverable.

Backing up Apache and Nginx web servers is crucial for maintaining website security and performance. Learn the step-by-step process to back up configuration files, website data, logs, and SSL certificates, ensuring your site is safe from crashes and attacks.