PulseLMS Backup and Restore Guide¶

Overview¶

PulseLMS provides comprehensive backup and restore capabilities to protect your course content, user data, and learning activities. This guide covers all aspects of backup and restore operations, from individual course backups to site-wide data protection strategies.

Backups are essential for: - Data Protection: Safeguarding against accidental deletion or corruption - Course Replication: Creating copies of courses for new terms or sections - Migration: Moving courses between PulseLMS instances - Archival: Preserving completed courses for reference - Disaster Recovery: Restoring operations after system failures

1. Course Backup - What's Included¶

1.1 Understanding Backup Content¶

When you create a course backup in PulseLMS, the system packages various course components into a single compressed file (.mbz format). Understanding what's included helps you make informed backup decisions.

Core Course Elements¶

Component	Description	Backup Behavior
Course Settings	General course configuration, format, appearance	Always included
Sections	Topic/week structure and descriptions	Always included
Activities	All activity modules (assignments, quizzes, forums, etc.)	Configurable
Resources	Files, folders, pages, URLs, labels	Configurable
Blocks	Sidebar blocks and their configurations	Configurable
Course Files	Uploaded files in course file areas	Included with activities
Completion Settings	Activity and course completion rules	Configurable
Competencies	Linked competencies and frameworks	Configurable

User Data Components¶

Component	Description	Default State
User Enrollments	Who is enrolled and their roles	Excluded by default
Activity Completion	Individual user completion records	Excluded by default
Gradebook Data	All grades and grade history	Excluded by default
Assignment Submissions	Student submitted files and text	Excluded by default
Forum Posts	Discussion posts and replies	Excluded by default
Quiz Attempts	Student quiz attempt data	Excluded by default
User Files	Private user files in course	Excluded by default
Logs	Course activity logs	Excluded by default
Comments	User comments on activities	Excluded by default
Badge Criteria Progress	Badge completion progress	Excluded by default

1.2 Activity-Specific Backup Content¶

Assignment Backups¶

Assignment description and instructions
Submission settings (types, deadlines, attempts)
Grading settings (rubrics, marking guides)
Feedback types configuration
Group submission settings
Optional: Student submissions and grades

Quiz Backups¶

Quiz settings and timing options
Question bank categories (course-level)
Individual questions and answers
Random question selections
Grade calculation settings
Optional: Student attempts and grades

Forum Backups¶

Forum type and settings
Subscription and tracking settings
Rating configurations
Optional: Discussion threads and posts
Optional: User subscriptions

Workshop Backups¶

Workshop phases and settings
Assessment forms and criteria
Grading strategies
Optional: Submissions and assessments

Database Activity Backups¶

Field definitions
Template designs
Preset configurations
Optional: User entries

Wiki Backups¶

Wiki type and settings
Page structures
Optional: Page content and history

Glossary Backups¶

Entry definitions
Category structures
Display formats
Optional: User entries

1.3 Files and Media¶

Backup file handling depends on where files are stored:

Course Backup File Structure:
├── moodle_backup.xml          # Master backup descriptor
├── files/                     # All backed up files
│   ├── [hash1]               # Individual files by content hash
│   ├── [hash2]
│   └── ...
├── course/                    # Course data
│   └── course.xml
├── activities/               # Activity data
│   ├── assign_123/
│   ├── quiz_456/
│   └── ...
├── sections/                 # Section data
│   ├── section_1/
│   └── ...
└── users.xml                 # User data (if included)

1.4 What's NOT Included in Course Backups¶

System-level question bank categories
User profile data beyond enrollments
Course category structure
External tool (LTI) credentials
Repository configurations
Plugin-specific external data
User authentication details
Site-wide badge definitions

2. Backup Settings and Options¶

2.1 Accessing Backup Settings¶

For Individual Course Backups: 1. Navigate to your course 2. Access Course Administration > Backup 3. Or use the gear icon > Backup

For Site-Wide Backup Settings: 1. Go to Site Administration 2. Navigate to Courses > Backups 3. Configure default settings

2.2 Initial Settings Page¶

When starting a backup, you'll encounter these setting categories:

Include Options¶

Setting	Description	Recommendation
Include enrolled users	Backup user enrollment data	Enable for full restore
Anonymize user information	Replace real names with placeholders	For sharing externally
Include user role assignments	Preserve role configurations	Enable for full restore
Include activities and resources	Backup course content	Always enable
Include blocks	Backup sidebar blocks	Enable for complete backup
Include filters	Backup filter settings	Enable if using filters
Include comments	Backup activity comments	Based on needs
Include badges	Backup badge definitions	Enable if using badges
Include calendar events	Backup course calendar	Enable for full backup
Include competencies	Backup competency links	Enable if using competencies
Include content bank content	Backup H5P and other content	Enable if using content bank
Include custom fields	Backup custom course fields	Enable if using custom fields
Include groups and groupings	Backup group structures	Enable if using groups
Include question bank	Backup course question bank	Essential for quizzes
Include permissions overrides	Backup capability changes	Enable for full restore

User Data Options¶

Setting	Description	Privacy Consideration
Include user files	Personal files in course	Contains PII
Include grade history	Historical grade changes	Contains PII
Include user completion	Completion tracking data	Contains PII
Include logs	Activity log data	Contains PII

2.3 Schema Settings¶

The schema settings page allows fine-grained control:

Activity Selection:
├── Section 1
│   ├── ☑ Assignment: Week 1 Essay
│   │   └── ☐ Include user data
│   ├── ☑ Quiz: Unit 1 Test
│   │   └── ☐ Include user data
│   └── ☑ Forum: Discussion 1
│       └── ☐ Include user data
├── Section 2
│   ├── ☑ Resource: Reading Materials
│   └── ☑ Page: Instructions
└── Section 3
    └── ☑ Assignment: Final Project
        └── ☐ Include user data

2.4 Confirmation and Execution¶

Before backup execution:

Review Summary: Verify selected items
Filename: Customize backup filename
Default format: backup-courseshortname-date-time.mbz
Example: backup-eng101-20250115-1430.mbz
Destination: Choose where to store backup
Course backup area
User private files
Download immediately

2.5 Default Backup Settings (Administrator)¶

Administrators can configure site-wide defaults:

Site Administration > Courses > Backups > General backup defaults

Recommended Defaults:
├── Include enrolled users: No
├── Anonymize user information: Yes
├── Include user role assignments: No
├── Include activities and resources: Yes
├── Include blocks: Yes
├── Include filters: Yes
├── Include comments: No
├── Include badges: Yes
├── Include calendar events: Yes
├── Include competencies: Yes
├── Include groups and groupings: Yes
├── Include question bank: Yes
└── Include permissions overrides: No

3. Automated Backups (Administrator)¶

3.1 Enabling Automated Backups¶

PulseLMS can automatically backup courses on a schedule. This requires administrator access.

Configuration Path: Site Administration > Courses > Backups > Automated backup setup

3.2 Automated Backup Settings¶

General Settings¶

Setting	Options	Recommendation
Active	Disabled / Enabled / Manual	Enabled
Schedule	Days of week / Time	Off-peak hours
Keep	Number to retain	2-5 backups
Min kept	Minimum backups	1
Max kept	Maximum backups	10

Schedule Configuration¶

Automated Backup Schedule:
├── Run on: ☑ Sunday
│          ☐ Monday
│          ☐ Tuesday
│          ☐ Wednesday
│          ☐ Thursday
│          ☐ Friday
│          ☑ Saturday
├── Execute at: 02:00 (2 AM server time)
└── Skip courses modified after: Never

Course Selection¶

Option	Description
All courses	Backup every course
Courses modified since last backup	Only changed courses
Specific categories	Selected categories only
Skip hidden courses	Exclude hidden courses

3.3 Storage Configuration¶

Backup Storage Settings:
├── Backup destination: Specified directory
├── Directory path: /var/backups/pulselms/automated/
├── Delete old backups: Yes
├── Keep this many: 3
└── Storage limit: 50 GB

3.4 Monitoring Automated Backups¶

Viewing Backup Status: 1. Go to Site Administration > Courses > Backups > Automated backup report 2. Review recent backup operations 3. Check for errors or warnings

Status Indicators: - OK: Backup completed successfully - Skipped: Course unchanged since last backup - Warning: Backup completed with issues - Error: Backup failed - Unfinished: Backup interrupted

3.5 Automated Backup Logs¶

Sample Backup Log Entry:
========================================
Backup started: 2025-01-15 02:00:05
Course: Introduction to Biology (BIO101)
Status: OK
Duration: 3 minutes 24 seconds
File size: 156.7 MB
Filename: backup-bio101-20250115-0200.mbz
========================================

Backup started: 2025-01-15 02:03:30
Course: Advanced Mathematics (MATH301)
Status: WARNING
Duration: 8 minutes 12 seconds
Warning: Large file truncated (video over 100MB limit)
File size: 89.3 MB
Filename: backup-math301-20250115-0200.mbz
========================================

3.6 Email Notifications¶

Configure email alerts for backup status:

Notification Settings:
├── Send to: [email protected], [email protected]
├── Send when:
│   ├── ☑ Backup fails
│   ├── ☑ Backup has warnings
│   └── ☐ Backup succeeds
└── Digest: Send daily summary at 06:00

3.7 Cron Job Requirements¶

Automated backups require proper cron configuration:

# PulseLMS Cron Job (Required for automated backups)
# Run every minute to allow PulseLMS scheduler to manage tasks
* * * * * /usr/bin/php /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/cron.php >/dev/null

# Alternative: Dedicated backup cron (runs independently)
0 2 * * 0,6 /usr/bin/php /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/automated_backups.php

4. Manual Backups¶

4.1 Creating a Manual Course Backup¶

Step-by-Step Process:

Access Course Backup
Navigate to your course
Click gear icon (⚙) > Backup
Or: Course Administration > Backup
Initial Settings
Select what to include (see Section 2)
Choose whether to include user data
Click Next
Schema Settings
Select specific activities to include
Toggle user data per activity
Click Next
Confirmation
Review backup summary
Modify filename if desired
Click Perform backup
Completion
Wait for backup to complete
Download or note storage location
Click Continue

4.2 Quick Backup (Default Settings)¶

For rapid backups using default settings:

Navigate to your course
Go to gear icon > Backup
Click Jump to final step
Review settings summary
Click Perform backup

This uses administrator-configured defaults without customization options.

4.3 Backup with User Data¶

When including user data:

Important Considerations: - Increases backup file size significantly - Contains personally identifiable information (PII) - May be subject to data protection regulations (GDPR, FERPA) - Requires secure storage and handling

Enabling User Data: 1. On Initial Settings page, enable: - ☑ Include enrolled users - ☑ Include user role assignments 2. On Schema Settings, for each activity: - ☑ Include user information 3. This includes: - Enrollments - Submissions - Grades - Forum posts - Completion records

4.4 Anonymized Backups¶

For sharing courses externally:

Enable Anonymize user information on Initial Settings
Real names replaced with "User 1", "User 2", etc.
Email addresses anonymized
Profile pictures removed
Useful for:
Course templates
Training materials
External sharing
Demonstration purposes

4.5 Partial Backups¶

Creating backups of specific content:

Backup Specific Sections: 1. Access Schema Settings 2. Uncheck unwanted sections 3. Keep desired sections checked

Backup Specific Activities: 1. Access Schema Settings 2. Expand each section 3. Uncheck individual activities to exclude

Backup Without Questions: 1. Uncheck "Include question bank" on Initial Settings 2. Note: Quiz content may be incomplete

4.6 Command Line Backups¶

For administrators, CLI backup provides additional options:

# Basic course backup
sudo -u www-data php /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/backup.php \
    --courseid=123 \
    --destination=/var/backups/courses/

# Backup with all user data
sudo -u www-data php /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/backup.php \
    --courseid=123 \
    --destination=/var/backups/courses/ \
    --users=all

# Backup without user data
sudo -u www-data php /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/backup.php \
    --courseid=123 \
    --destination=/var/backups/courses/ \
    --users=none

# Backup multiple courses
for id in 101 102 103 104; do
    sudo -u www-data php /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/backup.php \
        --courseid=$id \
        --destination=/var/backups/courses/
done

5. Downloading Backup Files¶

5.1 Accessing Backup Files¶

From Course Backup Area: 1. Navigate to course 2. Go to gear icon > Restore 3. Scroll to Course backup area 4. Click backup filename to download

From User Private Backup Area: 1. Go to user profile 2. Access Manage private files 3. Locate backup file 4. Click to download

From Automated Backup Storage: 1. Access server storage location 2. Navigate to configured backup directory 3. Copy or download files directly

5.2 Backup File Naming Conventions¶

Standard Naming Pattern:
backup-[shortname]-[date]-[time].mbz

Examples:
├── backup-eng101-20250115-1430.mbz
├── backup-bio201-fall2025-20250108-0930.mbz
├── backup-intro_chemistry-20241220-1600.mbz
└── backup-mgt500_leadership-20250112-1100.mbz

Automated Backup Pattern:
backup-[shortname]-[date]-[time]-auto.mbz

5.3 Managing Backup Storage¶

Course Backup Area Management: 1. Go to course > Restore 2. View Course backup area 3. Delete old backups to free space 4. Rename backups for organization

Storage Limits: - Course backup area: Typically 100MB default - Can be increased by administrators - Check available space before large backups

5.4 Backup File Structure¶

Understanding the .mbz file contents:

# Examining backup contents (Linux/Mac)
unzip -l backup-course101-20250115-1430.mbz

# Archive Contents:
├── moodle_backup.xml           # Backup metadata
├── moodle_backup.log           # Backup log
├── files.xml                   # File manifest
├── files/                      # Actual files
│   ├── ab/
│   │   └── abcd1234...        # Files stored by hash
│   └── cd/
│       └── cdef5678...
├── course/
│   ├── course.xml             # Course settings
│   ├── inforef.xml           # Cross-references
│   └── roles.xml             # Role assignments
├── activities/
│   ├── assign_123/
│   │   ├── module.xml
│   │   ├── assign.xml
│   │   ├── grades.xml
│   │   └── inforef.xml
│   ├── quiz_456/
│   │   ├── module.xml
│   │   ├── quiz.xml
│   │   └── questions.xml
│   └── forum_789/
│       ├── module.xml
│       ├── forum.xml
│       └── discussions.xml
├── sections/
│   ├── section_0/
│   │   └── section.xml
│   ├── section_1/
│   │   └── section.xml
│   └── section_2/
│       └── section.xml
├── users.xml                  # User data (if included)
├── groups.xml                 # Group data
├── outcomes.xml               # Learning outcomes
├── gradebook.xml             # Gradebook settings
├── scales.xml                # Custom scales
├── question_categories.xml   # Question bank categories
└── questions.xml             # Question data

5.5 Transferring Backup Files¶

Between PulseLMS Instances: 1. Download backup from source instance 2. Upload to destination instance user files 3. Access Restore on destination 4. Select uploaded file

To External Storage: 1. Download backup file 2. Transfer to external location: - Cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) - External hard drive - Network attached storage 3. Maintain proper access controls

6. Course Restore - New Course vs Existing¶

6.1 Understanding Restore Options¶

PulseLMS offers three primary restore approaches:

Option	Description	Use Case
Restore to new course	Creates fresh course	Course duplication, new term
Restore to existing course	Adds to current course	Content merge, updates
Delete existing and restore	Replaces course content	Course reset

6.2 Restoring to a New Course¶

Step-by-Step Process:

Access Restore Interface
Navigate to any course or Site Administration
Go to Restore
Upload backup file or select from course backup area
Select Backup File
Upload new backup (.mbz file)
Or choose from existing backups
Click Restore
Destination Selection
Choose Restore as a new course
Select target category
Click Continue
Settings Configuration
Configure course settings
Modify course name/shortname
Set start date
Click Next
Schema Selection
Select content to restore
Choose user data options
Click Next
Process and Complete
Review restoration summary
Click Perform restore
Wait for completion

6.3 Restoring to an Existing Course¶

Merge Content Options:

Option	Behavior
Merge the backup course into this course	Adds backup content to existing content
Delete the contents of this course and then restore	Replaces all content

Merging Content: 1. Select Merge the backup course into this course 2. Existing content remains 3. Backup content added as new sections 4. May result in duplicate content if not careful

Replacing Content: 1. Select Delete the contents of this course and then restore 2. All existing content removed 3. Fresh content from backup restored 4. Use with caution - no undo

6.4 Restore Settings¶

Course Settings Override:

Setting	Description	Options
Overwrite course configuration	Replace course settings	Yes / No
Course name	New course name	Custom or from backup
Course short name	New short name	Custom or from backup
Course start date	When course begins	Custom or from backup
Keep current groups and groupings	Preserve existing groups	Yes / No
Keep current enrollments	Preserve current users	Yes / No

6.5 Selective Restoration¶

Restore only specific content:

On Schema settings page, uncheck unwanted items:

Restore Selection:
├── ☑ Section 1: Introduction
│   ├── ☑ Page: Welcome
│   └── ☐ Forum: Introductions (skip this)
├── ☑ Section 2: Content
│   ├── ☑ Assignment: Homework 1
│   └── ☑ Quiz: Unit Test
└── ☐ Section 3: (skip entire section)

Proceed with restore
Only selected items restored

6.6 User Data Restoration¶

Restoring with User Data: - Requires backup that includes user data - Matches users by email or username - Creates new users if "Restore as new users" selected - Respects site authentication methods

User Matching Process: 1. System checks for existing users 2. Matches by email address first 3. Falls back to username matching 4. Unmatched users: skip or create new

User Data Conflicts: - Existing grades: keep or overwrite - Enrollments: merge or replace - Completion: preserve or restore

6.7 Post-Restore Verification¶

After restoration, verify:

Course Structure
All sections present
Activities in correct locations
Resources accessible
Content Integrity
Files open correctly
Links functional
Images display properly
Settings Accuracy
Dates adjusted correctly
Completion settings intact
Grade settings preserved
User Data (if restored)
Enrollments correct
Grades present
Submissions accessible

7. Import Course Data¶

7.1 Understanding Import vs Restore¶

Feature	Import	Restore
Source	Another course on same site	Backup file
User data	Never included	Optionally included
Speed	Faster	Variable
Use case	Copy content between courses	Full course recovery

7.2 Importing from Another Course¶

Step-by-Step Process:

Access Import
Navigate to destination course
Go to gear icon > Import
Select Source Course
Browse available courses
Search by name or short name
Select source course
Click Continue
Initial Settings
Choose what to import:
- ☑ Include activities and resources
- ☑ Include blocks
- ☑ Include filters
- ☑ Include calendar events
- ☑ Include question bank
- ☑ Include competencies
Schema Settings
Select specific items to import
Expand sections for granular control
Click Next
Confirmation
Review import summary
Click Perform import
Completion
Wait for import to complete
Review imported content
Click Continue

7.3 Import Scenarios¶

Scenario 1: Importing a Single Activity 1. Start import process 2. On Schema settings, uncheck all sections 3. Expand desired section 4. Check only the activity to import 5. Complete import

Scenario 2: Importing Question Bank Only 1. On Initial Settings, uncheck all except "Include question bank" 2. Proceed through import 3. Only questions imported

Scenario 3: Importing Multiple Activities 1. Select multiple activities across sections 2. Activities imported to matching sections 3. New sections created if needed

7.4 Import Permissions¶

Who Can Import: - Users with 'import' capability in destination course - Typically: Teachers, Course creators, Managers - Must also have access to source course

Visibility of Source Courses: - Only courses where user has backup permission visible - Hidden courses may not appear - Site administrators see all courses

7.5 Import Best Practices¶

Before Importing:
Review source course content
Plan section structure in destination
Consider question bank organization
During Import:
Use descriptive section names
Import related content together
Check dependencies (e.g., quiz + questions)
After Import:
Verify all content transferred
Update dates and deadlines
Review completion settings
Test links and resources

8. Backup/Restore Best Practices¶

8.1 Backup Strategy¶

Recommended Backup Frequency:

Course Type	Backup Frequency	Retention
Active course (high activity)	Weekly	4 weeks
Active course (moderate)	Bi-weekly	6 weeks
Completed course	End of term	1 year
Template courses	After each update	All versions
Archive courses	Once	Indefinite

8.2 Pre-Backup Checklist¶

Before Creating Important Backups:
☐ Review course for sensitive data
☐ Remove unnecessary large files
☐ Clean up unused question bank entries
☐ Archive old forum discussions if not needed
☐ Verify all links are current
☐ Check file storage space availability
☐ Plan backup during low-usage hours
☐ Notify users if system may be slow

8.3 Backup Naming Conventions¶

Recommended Format:

[shortname]-[type]-[date]-[version].mbz

Examples:
├── eng101-full-20250115-v1.mbz           # Full backup
├── eng101-nouser-20250115-v1.mbz         # Without user data
├── eng101-template-20250115-v1.mbz       # Template version
├── eng101-archive-20250115-final.mbz     # End of term archive
└── eng101-questions-20250115.mbz         # Question bank only

8.4 Storage Best Practices¶

Local Storage: - Dedicated backup partition - Separate from PulseLMS installation - Regular disk space monitoring - RAID or redundant storage

Off-site Storage: - Encrypted cloud storage - Scheduled automatic transfers - Geographic redundancy - Tested restoration procedures

Retention Policy:

Backup Retention Schedule:
├── Daily automated backups: 7 days
├── Weekly backups: 4 weeks
├── Monthly backups: 12 months
├── Semester archives: 5 years
└── Compliance backups: As required

8.5 Security Considerations¶

Backup Security: 1. Encrypt backup files containing user data 2. Restrict access to backup storage 3. Use secure transfer methods (SFTP, encrypted upload) 4. Maintain access logs 5. Regular security audits

Data Protection:

Security Measures:
├── File encryption: AES-256
├── Transfer: SFTP or HTTPS only
├── Access: Role-based permissions
├── Storage: Encrypted at rest
├── Retention: Documented policy
└── Disposal: Secure deletion

8.6 Testing Backups¶

Regular Restore Testing: 1. Schedule quarterly restore tests 2. Use test environment for verification 3. Document test results 4. Address any issues found

Test Checklist:

Backup Restore Test:
☐ Backup file integrity check
☐ Complete restore to test instance
☐ Content verification
☐ File accessibility
☐ User data accuracy (if included)
☐ Grade data accuracy (if included)
☐ Plugin compatibility
☐ Performance assessment
☐ Document findings
☐ Update procedures if needed

8.7 Documentation¶

Maintain Backup Documentation: - Backup procedures and schedules - Storage locations and access info - Restoration procedures - Contact information for issues - Compliance requirements - Change log for procedures

9. Troubleshooting Large Backups¶

9.1 Common Size Issues¶

Causes of Large Backups: 1. Many video files embedded in course 2. Large document repositories 3. Extensive question bank with images 4. Multiple years of user data 5. Uncompressed image files 6. Redundant file uploads

9.2 Reducing Backup Size¶

Before Backup:

Audit Course Content

Size Reduction Steps:
├── Identify large files (Reports > Course overview)
├── Move videos to external streaming
├── Compress large images
├── Remove unused files
├── Archive old forum attachments
└── Clean up assignment submissions

External File Hosting
Move large videos to YouTube/Vimeo
Use cloud storage for large documents
Embed external content rather than upload
Question Bank Cleanup
Remove unused questions
Consolidate duplicate questions
Optimize question images

9.3 PHP Configuration for Large Backups¶

Required PHP Settings:

; php.ini settings for large backups
max_execution_time = 7200        ; 2 hours
memory_limit = 512M              ; or higher for very large courses
post_max_size = 2048M            ; larger than max backup size
upload_max_filesize = 2048M      ; matches post_max_size
max_input_time = 7200            ; matches execution time

9.4 Server Configuration¶

Apache Settings:

# .htaccess or virtual host configuration
<Directory /var/www/html/pulselms>
    php_value max_execution_time 7200
    php_value memory_limit 512M
    php_value post_max_size 2048M
    php_value upload_max_filesize 2048M
</Directory>

# Timeout settings
Timeout 7200
ProxyTimeout 7200

Nginx Settings:

# nginx.conf
http {
    client_max_body_size 2048M;

    location ~ \.php$ {
        fastcgi_read_timeout 7200;
        fastcgi_send_timeout 7200;
    }
}

9.5 Command Line for Large Backups¶

CLI Backup for Large Courses:

# Use CLI to avoid browser timeouts
sudo -u www-data php /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/backup.php \
    --courseid=123 \
    --destination=/var/backups/pulselms/

# With increased memory limit
sudo -u www-data php -d memory_limit=1024M \
    /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/backup.php \
    --courseid=123 \
    --destination=/var/backups/pulselms/

# Background execution for very large backups
nohup sudo -u www-data php -d memory_limit=2048M \
    /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/backup.php \
    --courseid=123 \
    --destination=/var/backups/pulselms/ \
    > /var/log/pulselms/backup-123.log 2>&1 &

9.6 Timeout Issues¶

Problem: Backup times out before completion

Solutions:

Use CLI backup instead of web interface
Split backup into parts
Backup sections separately
Combine using import

Increase timeout settings

Site Administration > Server > Session handling
└── Increase session timeout

Use asynchronous backup (if available)

9.7 Memory Errors¶

Problem: "Allowed memory size exhausted" error

Solutions:

Increase PHP memory limit
```
memory_limit = 1024M
```
Check for memory leaks in plugins
Disable non-essential plugins during backup
Update all plugins to latest versions
Backup without resource-heavy content
Exclude large file areas
Backup question bank separately

9.8 Disk Space Issues¶

Problem: "Not enough disk space" error

Solutions:

Check available space

df -h /var/www/html/pulselms
df -h /tmp

Clear temporary files

sudo rm -rf /var/www/html/pulselms/temp/backup/*

Use alternative temp directory

// config.php
$CFG->tempdir = '/path/to/larger/disk/temp';

Clean up old backups

find /var/www/html/pulselms/backup -name "*.mbz" -mtime +30 -delete

9.9 Backup Progress Monitoring¶

CLI Progress Monitoring:

# Monitor backup log in real-time
tail -f /var/log/pulselms/backup-123.log

# Check backup file size growth
watch -n 10 'ls -lh /var/backups/pulselms/*.mbz'

# Monitor PHP process
ps aux | grep backup.php

10. Site-Level Backups¶

10.1 Understanding Site Backups¶

Site-level backups protect the entire PulseLMS installation, including: - Database (all courses, users, configurations) - PulseLMS files (PulseLMS data directory) - Plugin installations - Custom configurations - Uploaded content

10.2 Database Backup¶

MySQL/MariaDB Backup:

# Basic database backup
mysqldump -u pulselms_user -p pulselms_db > pulselms_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

# Compressed backup
mysqldump -u pulselms_user -p pulselms_db | gzip > pulselms_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql.gz

# With additional options for reliability
mysqldump -u pulselms_user -p \
    --single-transaction \
    --quick \
    --lock-tables=false \
    --routines \
    --triggers \
    pulselms_db > pulselms_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

PostgreSQL Backup:

# Basic database backup
pg_dump -U pulselms_user pulselms_db > pulselms_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

# Compressed backup
pg_dump -U pulselms_user pulselms_db | gzip > pulselms_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql.gz

# Custom format for faster restore
pg_dump -U pulselms_user -Fc pulselms_db > pulselms_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).dump

10.3 File System Backup¶

PulseLMS Data Directory:

# Backup PulseLMS data directory
tar -czf pulselmsdata_$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /var/www/pulselmsdata/

# Backup with progress indicator
tar -czvf pulselmsdata_$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /var/www/pulselmsdata/ 2>&1 | \
    pv -l > /dev/null

# Incremental backup using rsync
rsync -av --delete /var/www/pulselmsdata/ /backup/pulselmsdata/

Code Directory:

# Backup PulseLMS code (including plugins)
tar -czf pulselms_code_$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /var/www/html/pulselms/

# Exclude unnecessary directories
tar -czf pulselms_code_$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz \
    --exclude='*.log' \
    --exclude='cache' \
    /var/www/html/pulselms/

10.4 Complete Site Backup Script¶

#!/bin/bash
# complete_backup.sh - Full PulseLMS site backup

# Configuration
BACKUP_DIR="/var/backups/pulselms"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
PULSELMSDATA="/var/www/pulselmsdata"
PULSELMS_DIR="/var/www/html/pulselms"
DB_USER="pulselms_user"
DB_NAME="pulselms_db"
DB_PASS="your_password"  # Consider using .my.cnf instead
RETENTION_DAYS=30

# Create backup directory
mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR/$DATE"
cd "$BACKUP_DIR/$DATE"

# Enable maintenance mode
sudo -u www-data php "$PULSELMS_DIR/admin/cli/maintenance.php" --enable

# Backup database
echo "Backing up database..."
mysqldump -u "$DB_USER" -p"$DB_PASS" \
    --single-transaction \
    --quick \
    "$DB_NAME" | gzip > database_$DATE.sql.gz

# Backup PulseLMS data
echo "Backing up PulseLMS data..."
tar -czf pulselmsdata_$DATE.tar.gz "$PULSELMSDATA"

# Backup code (optional - usually in version control)
echo "Backing up code..."
tar -czf code_$DATE.tar.gz "$PULSELMS_DIR"

# Backup config file
cp "$PULSELMS_DIR/config.php" config_$DATE.php

# Disable maintenance mode
sudo -u www-data php "$PULSELMS_DIR/admin/cli/maintenance.php" --disable

# Create backup manifest
echo "Creating manifest..."
cat > manifest.txt << EOF
PulseLMS Complete Backup
========================
Date: $(date)
Database: database_$DATE.sql.gz
Data: pulselmsdata_$DATE.tar.gz
Code: code_$DATE.tar.gz
Config: config_$DATE.php

Checksums:
$(md5sum *)
EOF

# Clean up old backups
echo "Cleaning up old backups..."
find "$BACKUP_DIR" -maxdepth 1 -type d -mtime +$RETENTION_DAYS -exec rm -rf {} \;

echo "Backup complete: $BACKUP_DIR/$DATE"

10.5 Automated Site Backup with Cron¶

# /etc/cron.d/pulselms_backup

# Daily incremental backup at 2 AM
0 2 * * * root /usr/local/bin/pulselms_incremental_backup.sh >> /var/log/pulselms_backup.log 2>&1

# Weekly full backup on Sunday at 3 AM
0 3 * * 0 root /usr/local/bin/pulselms_full_backup.sh >> /var/log/pulselms_backup.log 2>&1

# Monthly archive on 1st at 4 AM
0 4 1 * * root /usr/local/bin/pulselms_archive_backup.sh >> /var/log/pulselms_backup.log 2>&1

10.6 Site Restoration¶

Full Site Restore Process:

#!/bin/bash
# restore_site.sh - Restore PulseLMS from backup

BACKUP_DIR="/var/backups/pulselms/20250115_020000"
PULSELMSDATA="/var/www/pulselmsdata"
PULSELMS_DIR="/var/www/html/pulselms"
DB_USER="pulselms_user"
DB_NAME="pulselms_db"

# Stop web server
sudo systemctl stop apache2

# Restore database
echo "Restoring database..."
gunzip < "$BACKUP_DIR/database_*.sql.gz" | mysql -u "$DB_USER" -p "$DB_NAME"

# Restore PulseLMS data
echo "Restoring PulseLMS data..."
rm -rf "$PULSELMSDATA"
tar -xzf "$BACKUP_DIR/pulselmsdata_*.tar.gz" -C /

# Restore code (if needed)
echo "Restoring code..."
rm -rf "$PULSELMS_DIR"
tar -xzf "$BACKUP_DIR/code_*.tar.gz" -C /

# Restore config
cp "$BACKUP_DIR/config_*.php" "$PULSELMS_DIR/config.php"

# Fix permissions
chown -R www-data:www-data "$PULSELMSDATA"
chown -R www-data:www-data "$PULSELMS_DIR"

# Clear cache
sudo -u www-data php "$PULSELMS_DIR/admin/cli/purge_caches.php"

# Start web server
sudo systemctl start apache2

echo "Restoration complete"

10.7 Cloud Backup Integration¶

AWS S3 Backup:

#!/bin/bash
# s3_backup.sh - Backup to AWS S3

BACKUP_DIR="/var/backups/pulselms"
S3_BUCKET="s3://your-pulselms-backups"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d)

# Sync backups to S3
aws s3 sync "$BACKUP_DIR" "$S3_BUCKET" \
    --delete \
    --storage-class STANDARD_IA \
    --exclude "*.log"

# Lifecycle policy handles old backup deletion

Google Cloud Storage:

#!/bin/bash
# gcs_backup.sh - Backup to Google Cloud Storage

BACKUP_DIR="/var/backups/pulselms"
GCS_BUCKET="gs://your-pulselms-backups"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d)

# Sync backups to GCS
gsutil -m rsync -r -d "$BACKUP_DIR" "$GCS_BUCKET"

10.8 Backup Verification¶

Verify Backup Integrity:

#!/bin/bash
# verify_backup.sh - Verify backup integrity

BACKUP_FILE="$1"

echo "Verifying backup: $BACKUP_FILE"

# Check file exists
if [ ! -f "$BACKUP_FILE" ]; then
    echo "ERROR: Backup file not found"
    exit 1
fi

# Check gzip integrity
if [[ "$BACKUP_FILE" == *.gz ]]; then
    if gzip -t "$BACKUP_FILE" 2>/dev/null; then
        echo "GZIP integrity: OK"
    else
        echo "ERROR: GZIP integrity check failed"
        exit 1
    fi
fi

# Check tar integrity
if [[ "$BACKUP_FILE" == *.tar.gz ]]; then
    if tar -tzf "$BACKUP_FILE" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
        echo "TAR integrity: OK"
    else
        echo "ERROR: TAR integrity check failed"
        exit 1
    fi
fi

# Check SQL dump
if [[ "$BACKUP_FILE" == *.sql.gz ]]; then
    # Quick check for valid SQL
    if gunzip -c "$BACKUP_FILE" | head -1 | grep -q "MySQL\|PostgreSQL\|-- "; then
        echo "SQL format: OK"
    else
        echo "WARNING: SQL format may be incorrect"
    fi
fi

echo "Verification complete"

10.9 Disaster Recovery Planning¶

Recovery Time Objectives:

Scenario	RTO Target	Recovery Method
Single course corruption	1 hour	Course restore from backup
Database corruption	4 hours	Database restore
Server failure	8 hours	Full site restore
Data center failure	24 hours	Offsite backup restore

Disaster Recovery Checklist:

Disaster Recovery Preparation:
☐ Documented recovery procedures
☐ Tested recovery in staging environment
☐ Offsite backup copies verified
☐ Recovery team contact information
☐ Service provider support contacts
☐ Communication plan for users
☐ Alternative access arrangements
☐ Regular DR drills scheduled

10.10 Backup Monitoring and Alerts¶

Monitoring Script:

#!/bin/bash
# monitor_backups.sh - Check backup status

BACKUP_DIR="/var/backups/pulselms"
ALERT_EMAIL="[email protected]"
MAX_AGE_HOURS=26  # Alert if backup older than 26 hours

# Find most recent backup
LATEST=$(find "$BACKUP_DIR" -name "*.sql.gz" -type f -printf '%T+ %p\n' | sort -r | head -1)

if [ -z "$LATEST" ]; then
    echo "CRITICAL: No backup files found" | mail -s "PulseLMS Backup CRITICAL" "$ALERT_EMAIL"
    exit 2
fi

# Check age
LATEST_FILE=$(echo "$LATEST" | cut -d' ' -f2)
AGE_SECONDS=$(( $(date +%s) - $(stat -c %Y "$LATEST_FILE") ))
AGE_HOURS=$(( AGE_SECONDS / 3600 ))

if [ $AGE_HOURS -gt $MAX_AGE_HOURS ]; then
    echo "WARNING: Latest backup is $AGE_HOURS hours old" | mail -s "PulseLMS Backup Warning" "$ALERT_EMAIL"
    exit 1
fi

echo "OK: Latest backup is $AGE_HOURS hours old"
exit 0

Quick Reference¶

Backup Commands Summary¶

Action	Web Interface	CLI Command
Course backup	Course > Backup	`php admin/cli/backup.php --courseid=X`
Automated backup	Site admin > Backups	`php admin/cli/automated_backups.php`
Database backup	N/A	`mysqldump -u user -p db > backup.sql`
File backup	N/A	`tar -czf backup.tar.gz /path`
Restore course	Course > Restore	`php admin/cli/restore_backup.php`

Troubleshooting Quick Reference¶

Issue	Quick Fix
Backup timeout	Use CLI, increase PHP timeout
Memory error	Increase memory_limit
Disk space	Clear temp files, old backups
Large backup	Exclude user data, split backup
Corrupt backup	Verify integrity, use latest good backup

Best Practices Summary¶

Regular Backups: Weekly minimum, daily for active courses
Test Restores: Quarterly in staging environment
Offsite Storage: Cloud or remote location
Documentation: Maintain current procedures
Monitoring: Automated checks and alerts
Security: Encrypt backups with user data
Retention: Follow organizational policy
Verification: Check backup integrity regularly

Additional Resources¶

PulseLMS Administration Guide: Site management procedures
PulseLMS Security Guide: Data protection guidelines
System Requirements: Server configuration reference
Plugin Management: Backup considerations for plugins

This documentation is for PulseLMS. For the latest updates and additional resources, consult your system administrator.