Backup Joomla with JoomlaPack: Review
A new client called me a couple weeks ago wanted to know if there was a way we could get a copy of his Joomla website files and database and transfer it to another host. I said, “Sure. It’s easy. Just get me the login information to the control panel on your host and I can get the database and all the files and transfer them to a new host.”
Unfortunately, the client could not contact the web designer who built the site. The designer was too busy and wouldn’t return his calls. Also, the client did not have access to a control panel because the site was hosted in the web designer’s account. I told him that without access to the database and file system, I could not transfer his site. Then the client mentioned that they had Joomla backup software installed on their site. He had a commercial Joomla backup component installed, but when I tried to backup and export the site, the software notified me that the license was expired.
So I did some investigation and found a GREAT, FREE Joomla backup component: JoomlaPack. JoomlaPack is an absolutely awesome piece of software. JoomlaPack creates a site backup of your site in a ZIP file that can be restored on any Joomla!-capable server. And it has an installer much like the standard Joomla installer.
In about one hour, I installed JoomlaPack on the client’s Joomla installation, made a complete backup of the Joomla website and database, downloaded the ZIP backup of the site and installed in on a new host and the site was up and running. I had absolutely NO problems installing the component, creating the backup, or reinstalling the Joomla site on the new host. This tool is amazing and I recommend it for anyone who needs to make a complete backup of their site for safekeeping, or who needs to transfer their Joomla site to another host.
JoomlaPack works on Joomla 1.0.x and Joomla 1.5 sites. You will need administrative access to Joomla to install and use this component. Also, you might consider giving them a donation if you use this great tool.