Backups

01What a backup contains

The server's files and all its databases, saved at the same moment: a restore therefore brings both back in step. Backups stay on our machines and cannot be downloaded; they are restored from the Backups screen.

Your plan sets how many backups are kept, and the screen's counter tells you where you stand. A failed backup does not take a slot. When every slot is taken, a new manual backup is refused: delete one first.

02Backing up by hand

"Back up now" starts a backup. It goes through "Waiting", "Exporting databases" and "Archiving", then becomes "Ready"; allow a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the size of the server. Only one backup or restore runs at a time on a server.

Good moments to take one: before importing a .sql file, before adding or removing a large script, before a restore, and before any change you would want to undo. It is the only way back that covers both files and databases.

03Locking

"Lock" protects a backup: the schedule never replaces it, and it can only be deleted after "Unlock". Lock the one taken before a big change, or the state of a city you want to be able to get back. Remember to unlock old ones: a locked backup keeps its slot for as long as it exists.

04Restoring

"Restore" stops the server, which disconnects players, replaces its files with those of the backup (a file created since is deleted), replaces its databases, then starts it again by itself. Everything since is lost: you type the server name to confirm.

During the restore, the Backups screen shows that a restore is in progress. The server's files and its resource list are unavailable, and the server cannot be started by hand: it starts again by itself at the end. Warn your players before you start, the city will be closed for a few minutes.

No backup is taken automatically before a restore. If you want to be able to come back to the current state, back it up first. The number of slots stays that of your current plan: a backup taken under a larger plan comes back with today's slots.

A backup taken before a transfer of the server's ownership carries the previous owner's data: it cannot be restored from the account area, contact support.

05Automatic backups

From the NOVA+ plan, the Schedule screen starts a full backup on the days and at the time chosen (restarts and updates). When every slot is taken, it replaces the oldest unlocked automatic backup, never a manual one. If every slot is taken by manual or locked backups, the automatic backup does not run, and the Schedule screen says so.

06Who can do what, and the alerts

Starting a backup takes the "Power" right, the operator's. Deleting or locking one takes "Manage databases". Restoring also takes the rights to edit files and configuration, since the restore overwrites them: that is the Administrator role, or the owner (inviting your team).

The diagnosis on the server page flags "The last backup failed" and "No recent backup". Start a new one; if the database export fails again, contact support from the server page.