Table of contents

VPS backups1. Use cPanel2. Automate Linux VPS3. Back up a Windows VPS4. Store backups offsite5. Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule6. Test your VPS backups regularly7. Choose the right backupFAQsGetting startedAdditional resources

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VPS → Backup

How to backup a VPS

Backing up your VPS might not sound exciting—until something goes wrong. Whether you’re running a business site or hosting apps, a solid backup strategy is your safety net.

Let’s walk through how to create and automate reliable VPS backups using tools that actually work.

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VPS backups: what you need to know before you start

Before diving into methods, get familiar with the key concepts that shape a smart VPS backup strategy:

Full vs. incremental backups: Full backups copy everything, while incremental ones only save the changes since your last backup. Most setups benefit from a mix.
Snapshot vs. file-level backups: Snapshots copy the entire system state, while file-level backups just target data. Snapshots are fast, but file-level backups are easier to move and restore elsewhere.
Local vs. offsite: You always want at least one copy off your VPS—cloud storage, remote server, or even an external drive.
Frequency and retention: Common strategies include daily or weekly backups with a 7- to 30-day retention window, depending on how often your data changes.

1. Use cPanel or WHM to back up your VPS

If your VPS uses cPanel or WHM, you’ve already got solid backup tools at your fingertips.

How to back up with cPanel

Log into cPanel and head to Backup Wizard.
Choose a full or partial backup (like home directory, databases, or email).
Download the archive and store it locally or offsite.

This is a good manual option for quick backups or when you don’t have WHM access.

How to configure backups in WHM

Log into WHM and go to Backup Configuration.
Enable backups and choose your settings:
- Type: compressed or uncompressed
- Schedule: daily, weekly, monthly
- Retention: how many old backups to keep
- Remote storage: SFTP, Amazon S3, or custom destinations
You can even customize backups by account.

WHM is ideal for automated, full-server backups with built-in restore points.

2. Automate Linux VPS backups with rsync or tar

No control panel? No problem. For Linux servers, command-line tools offer total control.

Rsync with cron

Rsync mirrors files from one location to another—perfect for offsite or incremental backups. Combine with cron to schedule jobs automatically

Example:

rsync -avz /var/www/ user@backupserver:/home/backups/myvps/
You can add logging, email alerts, or retention logic to your script.

Tar with cron

Tar is perfect for compressing large directories like /var/www or database dumps

Example:
tar -czf /backups/site-$(date +%F).tar.gz /var/www/

Automate with a cron job to run nightly or weekly. Compressed backups save space, but they’ll use more CPU during creation.

3. Back up a Windows VPS with built-in tools

If your VPS runs Windows Server, you can use Windows Server Backup (WSB):

Open Server Manager → Add roles/features → Install Windows Server Backup
Launch the WSB console and choose Backup Schedule
Select full server or specific files
Choose the destination: another volume, a network share, or external disk

WSB works well for small-to-medium workloads and supports daily backup automation.

4. Store backups offsite or in the cloud

Don’t keep all your backups on the same VPS. That defeats the point.

Popular offsite options:

Cloud storage: Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2
Remote VPS or bare metal server: great for DIY cross-server backups
External hard drive: useful for local archiving if you’re running backups from home or a physical office

Automate uploads with rclone

Install rclone on your VPS to sync files to cloud storage. Example command:

rclone copy /backups gdrive:vps-backups

You can also encrypt backups with rclone’s built-in support or use GPG beforehand.

5. Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule

For real peace of mind, follow the 3-2-1 rule:

Keep 3 copies of your data
Store them on 2 different media types (like disk and cloud)
Make sure 1 copy is offsite

This strategy protects against human error, hardware failure, and disasters.

6. Test your VPS backups regularly

A backup is only useful if it actually works.

Set up a test server or VM to try restoring files
Test database backups by importing them into staging environments
Don’t forget to verify file permissions, symbolic links, and app functionality

Add a restore check to your backup schedule if possible. Even once a month is better than never.

7. Choose the right backup format and retention period

How long you keep backups, and in what format, affects your storage and recovery time.

Format: Use .tar.gz or .zip for compressed, portable files
Retention: At minimum, keep 7 days of daily backups. Many site owners keep weekly/monthly snapshots for a year.
Cleanup: Use a cron job or script to delete older backups automatically

(Make sure your retention policy aligns with your business or compliance needs.)

VPS backup FAQs

You can back up a VPS using control panels (like cPanel or WHM), command-line tools (like rsync, tar, or rclone), or OS-native tools (like Windows Server Backup). Most people automate these backups with cron jobs or scheduled tasks and store them offsite in the cloud or on a separate server.

Install rclone, connect it to your Google Drive account, then sync your backup directory using a command like:

rclone copy /backup gdrive:my-vps-backups

Automate with a cron job and consider encrypting sensitive data before upload.

Yes, Backup Exec still exists and is owned by Veritas. It’s enterprise-grade software, often used in Windows and hybrid environments, but not common for VPS users running Linux or self-managed hosting.

You can back up a virtual server by:

Creating snapshots through your hypervisor or hosting panel
Using OS-level backup tools (rsync, tar, Windows Server Backup)
Pushing copies to cloud or remote storage via tools like rclone or scp
Always automate the process and follow the 3-2-1 backup strategy.

Next steps for backing up your VPS

A strong VPS backup strategy protects you from downtime, data loss, and disaster recovery headaches. Whether you’re using cPanel, rsync, or cloud sync, the key is consistency and offsite storage.

When you’re ready to upgrade your hosting to a high-quality VPS, Liquid Web can help. We’ve been leading the industry for decades, because our VPS servers are fast, cloud-based for easy scalability, and unbeatably reliable. Choose your favorite OS and the management tier that works best for you.

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