How to Back Up App Files & Folders: Manual & Automatic with AccuWeb.Cloud?

Quick answer: Install the Application File & Folder Backup add-on → choose destination (Local / MinIO / Amazon S3) → run Manual or set cron (e.g., 0 2 * * * for daily 02:00). This add-on appears only for supported apps and supports both ad-hoc exports and automated schedules. Scroll down for full install steps, cron examples, restore methods, and troubleshooting tips for WordPress, Laravel, Node.js, and similar platforms.

The Application File & Folder Backup add-on for AccuWeb.Cloud safely exports your app’s files and folders to local storage or remote object stores (MinIO, Amazon S3). It supports one-time manual exports and repeatable cron scheduling so you can recover files fast after accidental deletes or deployments. This guide walks you through setup, example cron expressions, and restore verification.

To install it, just go to the Add-ons section and click to add it to your application. This add-on will only appear if your application supports it. If it’s not supported, you won’t see the option.

AccuWeb.Cloud lets users take backups in two ways:

1. Automatic Backup using a scheduler (cron)

2. Manual Backup

Below, we’ve explained both methods to back up your application files and folders using the Application File & Folder Backup addon.

1. Automatic Backup:

With automatic backup, you can choose the day and time for the system to back up your application files and folders.

To use this feature, you first need to install the Application File & Folder Backup addon from the Addon window

We’ve provided the steps to install it below.

How to Install the Application File & Folder Backup Add-on

Follow these steps to install the backup add-on from the Add-ons window:

Step 1: Log in to your AccuWeb.Cloud dashboard.

Step 2: Choose the environment you want to back up (e.g., env-9599313).

Step 3: Go to Application Servers and click on the Add-Ons icon.

Step 4: In the Add-Ons window, find Application File & Folder Backup and click Install.

Step 5: Choose a backup schedule. You can select:

• Pre-defined (e.g., Daily at 00:00)
• Custom
• Manual (using crontab

We’ve selected Pre-defined > Daily (at 00:00) in this example.

Step 6: Set the number of backup copies you want to keep.

Step 7: In the Node Name field, type the name of the application where you want to install the File and Folder Backup addon. You can find the Node name just below the Environment name.

Do not include the version number — only enter the Node name, for example, Apache. Here, we used Apache as the Node Name.

Step 8: Choose the storage destination for backups.

AccuWeb.Cloud offers two storage destinations in the Application backup add-on: 1) Local and 2) Remote.

• Local: The system will create a storage environment in another region.
• Remote: Choose either:
  • Amazon S3 Bucket
  • MinIO Cluster

Let’s check the installation process step by step for both Local and remote destinations.

For a Local destination:

If you have selected the Local option for Storage destination:

• Confirm the source path from which data will be backed up.
• Click Install. The system will begin the installation and take the first backup automatically.

A new environment (like env-9599313 Apache Backup Storage) will be created to save your backups in a different region than where your application is hosted.

• Once installed, you’ll see a confirmation message that the Application File & Folder Backup add-on has been successfully installed.

For a Remote destination:

If using Amazon S3:

• Set the Source Path to the folder you want to back up.
• Enter your S3 Bucket Name, AWS Access Key, and AWS Secret Key.

If using MinIO Cluster:

• Set the Source Path to the folder you want to back up.
• Enter the MinIO Host URL with port 443 (e.g., https://env-7080173.us-AccuWeb.Cloud:443)
• Fill in the Bucket Name, Access Key (username), and Secret Key (password).

Click “Install” to add the Application File & Folder Backup addon.

After clicking, the system will install the addon and show a message confirming that it was successfully installed. It will also automatically take the first backup of your application.

Step 8: To verify the backup, click the Restore option under the Application File & Folder Backup add.

In the Restore Backup window, click on the down arrow to list the available backups. You will get only one backup in the list. This is the backup that the system automatically takes while installing the Application File & Folder Backup Addon.

2. Manual Backup:

Suppose you need to test something in your application and want to take an immediate backup of your application code (files and folders), without waiting for the scheduled backup. In that case, you can use the manual backup option available in the Application File & Folder Backup addon.

If the testing doesn’t go well or something unexpected happens, you can restore your application from the manually taken backup.

You can take a manual backup of the application file and folder by clicking on the Backup option under the Application File & Folder Backup Add-on.

How to Take a Manual Backup Using the Application File & Folder Backup Addon

Follow these steps to create a manual backup:

Step 1: Open the Application File & Folder Backup Addon and click the Backup button.

Step 2: A confirmation pop-up will appear. Click Yes to start the backup.

Step 3: The system will begin the manual backup process.

Once finished, you’ll see a message confirming the backup was successful.

Restore the backup:

AccuWeb.Cloud lets you restore a backup with just one click. You don’t need to enter any path, file, or folder name. Simply select the desired backup date from the list and click to restore it. The restoration process will be the same for both automatic and Manual backup.

The system will create a new folder at the original backup location with the selected date and time. You can then move the files or folders you need to the desired location.

How to Restore a Backup Using the Application File & Folder Backup Addon

Follow these steps to restore your application backup:

Step 1: Open the Application File & Folder Backup Addon and click the Restore button.

Step 2: In the Restore Backup window, choose the backup date you want to restore from the available backup list.

The second field will show the application server name. You do not need to do anything with that field.

Step 3: Click the Restore button to begin.

Step 4: A confirmation pop-up will appear. Click Yes to start the restore process.

Step 5: The system will begin restoring the backup.

Once it’s done, you’ll see a message confirming the restore was successful.

Step 6: The system will create a new folder named AccuWeb_Application_Backup with the selected date and time and place the restored files there.

Under the folder AccuWeb_Application_Backup, you will get one more folder with the name backup_ Application server with the selected date and time. For example, if your application server is Apace then the folder will be created with the name backup_apache_date_time.

To apply the restored data, you need to manually move the required files from that folder to your Application Root folder or original location.

Conclusion

Using the Application File & Folder Backup addon, you can easily install, manually, and automatically back up your application data on a scheduled time and restore it.

Simply install the addon from the Add-Ons menu, click Backup to take a manual backup, and use the Restore option to recover data when needed. This ensures your application is always protected and easy to recover.