Jira backup best practice?

[Jen Connor]

Does anyone have a suggestion on the best practices for backing up Jira? This tool is similar to Stash where the database and home directory are partitioned. Is it also similar in that if I did a backup of the database at a different time than the backup of the home directory, would it cause major issues?

We are using an oracle database and we're looking for a way to make a secure backup of Jira 5.1.7 before our upgrade to Jira 6.2.5. Since the backup agent doesn't touch the Jira home directory, and Atlassian also suggests using the database-specific backup tools, it isn't a good option. Right now we're planning on shutting down Jira, having the database team do the backup of the databse and copy the jira home directory into a temp folder.

Is there a one-step process of doing this like with the stash backup client?

[codelab expert · Accepted solution]

Using the backup tools by the database vendor is the better choice. You should save the home folder at the same time you're saving the database. Otherwise it may happen that some attachements are missing on an issue.

You can also save the data by using the XML export. But keep in mind that you can run into out of memory errors when you want to import the data again (Java heap space error) if your XML file is to large.

[Luciano Fagundes]

Jen,

I second Mathias statement. Using the database vendor backup tools should be the better choice, as contingency you might want to export the XML backup too. You may refer the documentation below to automate the XML backup export on your JIRA instance.

https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/JIRA/Automating+JIRA+Backups

Hope it helps!

Cheers

Luciano

[Joe Pitt]

I strongly advise using the JIRA backup/export tool just before you upgrade. that can always be used to restore your data and configurations. Folks have had mixed luck using database tools.

[Fabio Racobaldo _Herzum_]

Hello Jen,

you can take a look here https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/JIRA/Backing+Up+Data

You can :

- Backup JIRA using internal backup

- Backup JIRA through a script that perform a copy of JIRA HOME folder and a DB dump

Hope this helps,

Fabio