Managing library data efficiently is crucial, and regular backups of your Koha ILS database can save you from unexpected disasters. Here's a simple way to automate Koha database backups and store them directly on Dropbox using a script on Debian/Ubuntu systems.
Step-by-Step Setup
1. Install Dropbox Integration
To ensure your system can sync files to Dropbox:
sudo apt install nautilus-dropbox
Follow the prompts to connect your Dropbox account.
2. Create the Backup Script
Create a shell script as the root user:
sudo nano /usr/local/bin/koha-backup.sh
Paste the following script:
#!/bin/bash
# Define backup directories for each database
KOHA_BACKUP_DIR="/home/mahesh/Dropbox/"
# Create the backup directory if it doesn't exist
mkdir -p "$KOHA_BACKUP_DIR"
# Timestamp for the backup
TIMESTAMP=$(date +%d-%m-%Y-%H.%M)
# Backup the Koha database
sudo mysqldump -u koha_library -pkohalib koha_library | xz > "${KOHA_BACKUP_DIR}/koha_library-${TIMESTAMP}.sql.xz"
echo "Backup of Koha database completed successfully!"
# Keep only the latest 3 backups
cd "$KOHA_BACKUP_DIR" || exit
ls -1t koha_library-*.sql.xz | tail -n +4 | xargs -d '\n' rm -f --
echo "Old backups deleted, keeping only the latest 3."
Make the Script Executable & Change Ownership
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/koha-backup.sh
sudo chown "$USER:$USER" /usr/local/bin/koha-backup.sh
chmod 700 /usr/local/bin/koha-backup.sh
This ensures that the script is executable and owned by the current user. Dropbox only syncs files owned by the logged-in user.
3. Test the Script
Run the script as a normal user (it will prompt for a password):
cd /usr/local/bin
sudo ./koha-backup.sh
You should see messages confirming a successful backup and deletion of older ones.
4. Schedule the Backup with Cron as root
To automate the process daily at 3:00 PM:
sudo crontab -e
Add this line at the end:
#Koha Backup at 3:00 PM
0 15 * * * /usr/local/bin/koha-backup.sh
Done! Now your Koha database backups will be automatically created and synced to Dropbox every day at 3 PM, with only the latest 3 backups retained.
