Getting Started

Once you have finished with the JetBackup for cPanel installation, you now need to setup the product for the first time!

Log in to your cPanel WHM by going to https:://{hostname/ip}:2087 on your browser.

When you open Jetbackup for the first time, you will be greeted with the JetBackup End User License Agreement. Once you have reviewed and agree to the terms in our EULA, select "I agree to those terms" to accept the EULA agreement and proceed with the initial setup.

OTHERWISE, select "Reset JB configs" to login to your JetBackup panel and proceed with a new installation and default configuration.

Once in the Dashboard area, you can start adding a backup destination. This will serve as the storage location(s) of your backups.

Next, we highly recommend enabling Export JB Config on a destination to backup your JetBackup settings and configurations which allows for a more seamless Disaster Recovery.

Now you can start creating your backup jobs.

To know what is right for you, you will need to select the type of backup you want.

Here are some common backup types:

1. Local to remote - cPanel accounts are copied to a remote folder, no local backups are left behind.
2. Local to local - cPanel accounts are copied to a specified local folder.
3. General files backup - Only backup files (any file on the server, doesn't have anything to do with cPanel accounts).
4. Mysql backups - backup cPanel accounts' databases.

By default, JetBackup generates backups using its own internal backup engine. You can also restore backups generated on cPanel's backup system by choosing the cPanel backup engine(legacy backups are not supported).

You may also set your backup job to pause after reaching a certain load, to send a notification if it's been running or has not run for a certain number of days, limit the number of accounts it processes each time it runs, etc.

Take time to review your JetBackup General Settings to further adjust and fintune JetBackup to your needs!

How efficient would you like your backups?

Our recommended setup is as follows -

Local to remote backups, using "SSH" as a destination. At first run, JetBackup will create a full backup for all accounts. From the second backup job run and on, only new or modified file changes will need to be backed up.

Furthermore, If you activated "backup retention" - JetBackup will create "point-in-time incremental backups", in which case it will use as little space as possible (using hardlinks). So for a 30 day backup retention of a 2GB cPanel account, it will only consume 2GB + 30 Days of new / changed files (** At the moment, mysql is fully dumped as it doesn't support incremental backups).

What about saving IO & CPU?

Well, with our native CloudLinux support, you can put the backup process inside LVE. We've tested it on crowded servers during peak hours, and it was hardly noticeable (will cost you backup time, as it will run slower - but worth the trouble).

Don't have CloudLinux? You can still optimize the backup process using rsync's IO limit, and re-prioritize using NICE & RENICE.

How do I backup my server config/system files?

JetBackup can backup generic system files and folders on your server. That way you have a backup of important files and/or server config files that are not directly related to cPanel accounts. Please navigate to Backup generic system and server files for instructions on how to create this type of backup job, along with a list of system files/folders we recommend including in that backup job.