Skip to main content

Backup & Recovery

This document outlines the backup and recovery strategy for our DigitalOcean Managed Database instances. Backups are performed through SnapShooter, which provides automated daily backups with configurable retention.

Backup Strategy​

Backend Database Instance (DigitalOcean Managed DB):

Backup Tool: SnapShooter (DigitalOcean-approved backup provider)

Backup Frequency: Automated backups are taken every day at 5 AM.

Backup Retention: SnapShooter is configured to retain backups for the last 15 days.

Backup Type: SnapShooter creates snapshot-based backups of the Managed Database. These are full logical or physical snapshots depending on the engine type, ensuring reliable restore capability.

Storage Location: SnapShooter stores the backup data in DigitalOcean Spaces, located in the same region as the database to ensure fast restoration.

Recovery Plan​

In the event of database failure, corruption, or accidental deletion, the following steps will be performed:

  1. Log into SnapShooter Dashboard: Navigate to the SnapShooter project associated with the database backups.

  2. Identify the Most Recent Valid Backup: View the list of backups taken at 5 AM daily, retained for 15 days.

  3. Initiate Restore Operation: SnapShooter provides two restore options:

  4. Restore to DigitalOcean Managed Database: Directly restore the snapshot into the existing or a new Managed DB instance.

  5. Download Backup: Optionally download the backup files for manual restoration (e.g., using pg_restore, mysql, or import tools).

  6. Create a New Database Instance (If Required): If the existing instance is compromised or unusable, create a new DigitalOcean Managed DB instance and restore the backup into it.

  7. Update Application Configuration: Update environment variables or application settings to use the new database connection string.

  8. Verify Database Integrity and Application Connectivity: Ensure tables, data, and indexes are intact. Confirm that the application successfully connects and operates normally.

Best Practices​

  1. Encryption: SnapShooter backups are encrypted in transit and at rest using DigitalOcean Spaces or SnapShooter-managed storage.

  2. Manual Snapshots Before High-Risk Operations: It is recommended to trigger manual backups before running migrations, major updates, or schema changes.

  3. Backup Audit: Review SnapShooter backup logs weekly to ensure backup jobs are running without failures.

  4. Retention Optimization: SnapShooter provides flexible retention policies—retaining 15 days helps balance cost and recovery needs.

Note: This DigitalOcean backup and recovery plan ensures that we can always restore the database using daily backups from SnapShooter with a 15-day retention window. This approach minimizes downtime and reduces the risk of data loss in case of any database corruption or infrastructure failure.