I describe how you could configure a WordPress based backup solution, PressBackup, to work with Amazon S3 for potentially unlimited backup capability for free (initially) or relatively low cost.

1. PressBackup
How to backup your WordPress site to
Amazon S3 (or Dropbox)

2. What we will talk about
● What to and Why backup
● Installing PressBackup
● Getting started with PressBackup
● Configuring PressBackup
● Getting Started with Amazon S3
● Configuring Amazon S3
● Backup Automation
● Manual backups
● Sleep easier

3. What and Why Backup
We can backup:
● Themes
● Plugins
● Uploads folder
● Database
● All of the above
● Flexible schedules
● 5 generations of backup (more with paid
option)
● Automatically and manually

4. Why Amazon S3
Pros:
● Free for 12 months up to 5GB
● Limitless storage beyond that (almost)
● Low ongoing costs
● Secure
Cons:
● Pricing can be a little confusing
● Interface a little clunky (but getting better)

5. Installing PressBackup
● In WordPress Admin Dashboard
● Plugins
● Add New
● "pressbackup"
● Install Now
● For Multi-site install in the same way and
Network Activate or activate on a per-site
basis

6. PressBackup Plugin

7. Configuring PressBackup
● Click on PressBackup in WP Admin
● Create (free) account
● Note: PressBackup emails the email address
tied to the WordPress login used

8. Create PressBackup
account
Create your PressBackup account

9. PressBackup configuration

10. Getting started with
Amazon S3
● For PressBackup we need the Access and
Secret Keys for your account
● Login to your Amazon account
● And / or goto http://aws.amazon.com
● Sign up (login)
● Provide Credit card details
● Choose S3

11. Amazon S3 Keys
From this page:
https://portal.aws.amazon.com/gp/aws/securityCredentials

12. Amazon S3 - signup

13. More Amazon S3 signup

14. First backup
● Once PressBackup is configured and
connected to Amazon S3 the first full backup
is performed
● The backup, as a zip file, is stored in a
specially named pressbackup folder and
contains the Database, Plugins, Themes,
Uploads
● PressBackup defaults to backup everything
daily
● Changes can easily be made

15. PressBackup configuration

16. PressBackup configuration

17. Amazon S3 Buckets
After logging in to Amazon S3 console you will
see storage for all your backups is in the
location like the one shown below:

18. PressBackup file
The contents of a PressBackup zip file

19. PressBackup
Zip of files includes (if complete is chosen):
● database SQL dump
● themes folder (as a zip)
● to wp-content/themes
● plugins folder (as a zip)
● to wp-content/plugins
● uploads folder as a zip

20. PressBackup schedule
● Change the PressBackup schedule to meet
your needs
● Database and uploads at least weekly
(unless you change content more frequently)
● Themes monthly - unless you are developing
themes (use version control instead),
tinkering or a theme-aholic
● Plugins monthly

21. OK - so my site's failed
● There are many scenarios for site failure
requiring different approaches to fix.
● Assuming we have a full backup available
we can restore the site to that point
● Dependent on host, technical ability these
steps might take some time :-)

22. Site restoration
● Restore all the files from the PressBackup
zip to a new or refurbished WordPress
installation
● You can upload themes.zip and plugins.zip
then unzip to your webspace

23. Restore database
● Start with an empty database
● Import the database.sql file
● Database is restored to the time of backup

24. Storage alternatives
As an alternative storage to Amazon S3
PressBackup offers:
● PressBackup (free and paid plans)
(more accounts and pricing options: https://pressbackup.
com/pricing/)
● DropBox (up to 150MB)
● Server folder

25. Amazon S3 links
Useful links:
http://aws.amazon.com/free/
https://console.aws.amazon.com/s3/
http://aws.amazon.com/console/