Talk:Site Backup for Low-tech Users

I like this, although "low-tech users" doesn't strike me as quite what I'd like to be called. Maybe "non-Programmers"?

One other item I think needs fixing. The graphic for phpMyAdmin should maybe point explicitly at the Database in top left pane. People who don't know databases might assume that each table is a database and start pointlessly clicking. I very much like the orderly progression of the arrows in the graphic.

I like the instructions under "Another Site Backup," but I think the use of "backup" will confuse non-programmers here. We've just learned how to zip those 2 (or 3) items and now we're setting up a site as a backup? Maybe just stick with "Using your backup to create a test site"?

--Stuart Mealor 20:28, 22 February 2010 (UTC)I think it's worth pointing out that FTP is not really secure. Backing up sites remotely really needs to use rsync or similar (but I don't think that is appropriate for a 'Backup for Low-tech Users' guide). I think the guide needs to make it clear that backups to a different (backup) server may not work correctly as the domain name changes. Agree with the first comment, I don't think this level of backup/restore documentation fits with the 'Backup for Low-tech Users' title. This is site admin stuff, and not something a low-tech user would usually be involved in. Perhaps the starting question should be "What do average teachers need to be able to do in terms of backups?"

I think there are non-techie site admins out there who need this info. Average teachers who have just enough savvy & moxie to be running a school's Moodle. So, I think Stuart is onto something -- "Backup for Non-Techie Site Admins" is getting closer to a title, maybe.

Jump to the how to

From a "this is what you do" point of view, we need to focus upon who are we writing this for and then get to the point. As the Non-Techie Site Administrator, I should know that I need to backup the moodledata folder, MySQL (or equal) database and the Moodle code folder. And then I should know how to restore them. It might be nice to mention that a course backup is ALWAYS BETTER THAN NOTHING, but will not keep your themes, addins modules or modifications to your languages.

Then we can go to the process. There is an issue in writing this about how to backup the Moodle code folder and moodledata folder using something available to all/most/some users. I think that is going to be the hard part because there are many options.

However, MyPHPAdmin can be installed in Moodle and accessed in the via the site administration block. So I am comfortable reading how to backup and restore my SQL stuff with this program. If someone uses something other than MySQL, I am clueless.

Since I AM that non-techie almost clueless site administrator, I really do want to know how to do it:) Best--Chris collman 21:23, 23 February 2010 (UTC)