How to Setup Multiple Destinations for your Dedicated Server Backups

Backups are extremely important and should be kept in at least one different physical location than your dedicated server. WHM allows you to create additional destinations for your backup files.

This ensures that you have a backup available to you if a disaster strikes and the data center files are lost. Follow the directions below in order to use your remote locations for storing your server backups.

Note that you will need root access in order to use these directions.

How to Configure Remote Destinations to Store your Server Backups

Note that if you add an additional destination, then the backup that you configured will be sent to the current local destination and the remote location.

When you create additional destinations, please keep in mind that server resources will be needed for the backup being created and transmitted. Monitor your server load during your scheduled backup times in order to observe any impact on your server’s performance. If you see that your backups are affecting your server’s performance, then you may need to review your backup configuration/schedule or website files that are involved in the backup process. Contact our technical support team if you require further assistance.

1. Login to WHM
2. 

   Click on Backup Configurations
3. 

   By default the Global Settings for the Backup Configuration are disabled. If it is not already enabled, please click on Enable in order to configure your backup.
4. 

   Scroll down until you see Additional Destinations
5. 

   Select your Destination Type. The types available include Amazon S3, FTP, Additional Local Directory, SFTP, WebDav and Custom.

   Amazon S3	Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3). Scalable storage service available through Amazon.
   FTP	File Transfer Protocol is a standard network protocol used for moving files from one location to another
   Additional Local Directory	The additional local directory is a location on a hard drive that is mounted to your dedicated server
   SFTP	Secure File Transfer Protocol is a protocol separate from FTP that allows the transfer of files using a secure network connection
   WebDav	Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning is an extension of HTTP that creates a framework for users to create, change and move files on a server
   Custom	This option allows you to configure a custom created connection
6. Click on Create New Destination.
7. 

   You will then need to fill out the Destination Form. The form will ask you to fill in the information required to access the remote destination. This form will change based on the type of destination that you select. The information will also include the location at the remote destination where the backup will be stored.
8. 

   Click on Save or Save and Validate to save your new backup destination. Note that you will need to validate any additional destination before backup files can be sent. You can click on Save and Validate or Validate All Destinations to validate the destination locations that you have created.

Creating multiple destinations for your backups helps to provide insurance for your dedicated server files. Using the Additional Destinations option of your WHM Backup Configuration, you can create duplicate backups in multiple locations. If your backups are in different physical locations, then you reduce the chance of data loss should disaster strike the data center.