Possible to generate full backup tar from backup XML?

[RationalPolymer]

Having a "server" backup in the "Server Repository" (which is an INFO XML file), is it then possible to generate a complete server + content in one TAR file for remote backup storage?

 

[abdi]

If you configure remote FTP backup that is exactly what takes place. A tar file is generated and that is what is moved to the remote server.

 

[RationalPolymer]

Right. We are moving away from FTP and using local server to remote storage server via SFTP for "remote backups", so Panel backup target is set to "Server Reposistory" which creates the INFO metadata XML file.

Now the question is: how to create the complete/full backup including content as a TAR file to be then "moved" via a process external to Plesk, without using the command-line option to recreate the same "backup" previously scheduled which produced the metadata XML file. I may be forced to forgo the Panel Backup and do everything with the command-line option.

P.S. It would be great if Plesk Panel starting offering (native) SFTP instead of, or in addition to, FTP.

 

[RationalPolymer]

Here is what we have done to migrate from FTP Repository to SFTP external storage:

a) set up external storage service with SFTP access via desginated user account
b) create SSH keys on each Plesk hosting server using a host account
c) import public SSH keys from each Plesk hosting server on the new (SFTP) storage server (authorized_keys)
d) create directories for each Plesk hosting server on remote storage service
e) create a shell script on each Plesk hosting server under the designated host account that
1) uses the Plesk command-line tool: "pleskbackup server -z --prefix=..." --output-file=..."
2) SFTP that output file using "sftp" client command in batch mode (SFTP commands stacked via subshell or placed in external file: "cd maindirectory";"cd serversubdirectory";"put pleskabackupfile";"quit")
3) do whatever cleanup is needed/desirable
f) set up Plesk hosting server CRON job to run above "backup and store" script
g) DISABLE backups from PLesk Panel Backup Manager page

How may copies of server level Plesk backups stored locally and/or remotely are something to consider, which might include extra steps in the above script.