Automatic Backups Using WHM

Web Host Manager (WHM) is a powerful administrative tool that allows you to manage cPanel accounts and various aspects of the server or hosting account. From WHM you can schedule automatic backups, including how often the backups run, which cPanel accounts to back up, and how many backups to retain.

The Backup Configuration in WHM and Backup Manager are different backup systems.  Backups created by WHM in Backup Configuration will be saved on the VPS and use disk space on the VPS.  There needs to be enough space available on the VPS to create the backup.

Related Articles

Configure Additional Destinations for Automated Backups
Managing Backups using Backup Manager

Configure Automatic Backups

IMPORTANT: This solution will require root access. If this needs to be obtained, follow the guide on requesting root access.

1. Log into Root WHM
2. Navigate to Backup Configuration, located in the Backup section
   
3. Check the box to Enable Backups
4. Under Global Settings, select the following:
   1. Backup Type
      TIP: Compressed is recommended.
   2. Leave Check the Available Disk Space checked and enabled, adjust the percentage to your preference in regards to disk space
      TIP: If you enable this option and the available disk space is less than the amount that you specified, the system will not run the backup.
   3. Maximum Destination Backup Timeout and Maximum Backup Restoration Timeout can be left as is
   4. Configure backups as daily, weekly, or monthly
      TIP: Daily, weekly, and monthly backups can all be selected and the retention individually adjusted.  This can allow, for example, a daily backup to be kept, as well as a longer-term monthly backup.
   5. Set retention settings for each configured period
      CAUTION: Be very mindful when setting this! While a backup is running, it can take up to 2.5x the size of the final stored backup.
      TIP: Strictly enforce retention, regardless of backup success. can be selected to reduce the risk of failed backups using too much disk space on the server.
5. Click Save Configuration
   TIP: It is recommended to leave the Backup Staging Directory set to /backup , this file is owned by root and is where backups will be stored.
   
6. If specific users are desired to be backed up, you can enable/disable them in Backup User Configuration in WHM
7. Additional Destinations can also be configured to allow the backups to be stored remotely