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

• 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.
• Windows Restore from OpenEMR native backup file - Restore from your previously backed-up file (emr_backup.tar)
• Windows OpenEMR Backup and Recovery over Amazon Web Services A way to automate the encrypted backup of my windows server to Amazon web services (S3 cloud).