Backups

Duplicator Pro

  • backups are made with the plugin Duplicator PRO by Snapcreek
  • is used also to duplicate between staging and production sites
  • can also be used used to move a site to a different hosting company
  • $89/year for 15 sites

Schedule

Storage

  • Daily backups are stored:
    • locally on the hosting server
    • in the HHS Google drive:
      • staging: Google Drive / BU-staging-site
      • public: Google Drive / BU-public-site
    • maximum 10 packages retained
  • Weekly backups are stored:
    • locally on the hosting server
    • in the PMB Google drive:
      • staging: Google Drive / #_PMB-backups/staging.harvardhistory.org
      • public: Google Drive / #_PMB-backups/harvardhistory.org
    • maximum 6 packages retained
  • see https:/wp-admin/admin.php?page=duplicator-pro-storage

Duplication

Using Duplicator Pro

  • Preparing a NEW website

    If you are duplicating into a new website, prepare it as follows:

    • Create the new target WP website
    • WARNING: If you import into a brand new site, make sure you check the site’s URL in WP settings BEFORE importing, including whether it is HTTP or HTTPS!
      If you forgot, you will have to fix the following potential issues:

      • References to images and other links might be wrong
      • Links for pictures and other might be wrong
      • JSON files (e.g. Looper Providers) might have the wrong URLs in it.
      • …

    You will find them in WP settings -> General

    • Delete all plug-ins and keep only one theme (Twenty Twenty-one)
    • Install and activate the migration plugin (Duplicator Pro)

      Preparing an EXISTING website

    • Save Comments! As they will be overwritten.
    • Export (Migrate) the Duplicator PRO settings

     

    Exporting

    Export the site you want to duplicate or use a recent backup. 

    Exporting the current site

    If you don’t want to use a recent backup, you can run one of the scheduled ones to get the current version of the site.

    Using a recent backup or the one you just made

    • You will find these in Duplicator Pro Packages:
    • Download the Archipe (zip) file (can take a while…)

    Importing

    Import the file using Duplicator Pro -> Import.

    After duplicating

    Staging to Published

      • Change the WP color scheme of the users if needed.
      • Update PMB settings: Staging Site, No edits,…
      • In the footer, reset the link to the staging site
      • Restore the Duplicator Pro settings
      • Enable Google Analytics
      • Update the link in the Admin -> Statistics button for Administrators and Editors to Google Site Kit page
      • Change URLs in the WP-Forms!

    Published to Staging

      • Change the WP color scheme of the users if needed.
      • Update PMB settings: Staging Site, No edits,…
      • Restore the Duplicator Pro settings
      • Disable Google Analytics
      • Change URLs in the WP-Forms!

    New Site

      • WordPress:
        • Update General settings
        • Change favicon
      •  WP-forms:
        • Update PMB-Request form
        • Update Contact form

 

WARNING: After import of the site, check the following:

    • All duplicator settings must be redone, they aren’t duplicated!
      If you saved the settings before updating the site with the Staging version,
      You only have to import these saved settings.
    • If you did not, or this is a new site, you have to migrate the settings and update them manually:
      • Use Migrate Setting to export (save) the settings:
      • Then import the settings to the updated or new site, then
      • Update the STORAGE locations:
      • Also rename the schedules (useful for email messages)