How to Schedule Automated Backups for Odoo Installations

Like any other ERP or important business system, it is critical that you have regular backups of your Odoo databases and related files. In this video we look at how you can use a free Odoo add-on to create automated backups which you can schedule to run at a frequency that meets the requirements for your business. Along the way, learn important Ubuntu commands for installing, unzipping, changing ownership of files and more.

It is virtually inevitable at some point in time you will want or perhaps even need to go back to a previous instance of your Odoo database. In ERP systems this can happen not just because of hardware failures or technical database corruption. For example, employees can accidently launch a process that makes it necessary to revert to a previous version of the database.

While Odoo has come a long way in becoming more stable it is in fact a very complex data dependant system in which a bad XML architecture in a single form can require an Odoo database expert to recover your system. While developing, it is critical to make frequent backups as well as modifications to models and views are one of the easiest ways to leave a database in a condition that is difficult to access.

Important Information about backing up an Odoo Installation v8

How does Odoo automatically schedule a database backup?

In this video we use a free Odoo app Database Auto-Backup from the Odoo App Store. We demonstrate step-by-step how to install the module. This will be useful for those who are still a bit new to Ubuntu and would like to see how you can easily get the app installed with just a few basic commands. Like all our videos we show how to get around technical issues like permissions and install required dependencies. There are several nice little Ubuntu shortcuts thrown in that will help you manage files. Once the application is installed the video shows you how to configure the backups and how to setup the directory to backup the Odoo database into.

This video shows you how to backup the Odoo database instance only

If you have custom modules or special changes to the Odoo source code you will have to take additional steps to make backups. This video only demonstrates how to backup the Odoo database. If for example you made a custom Odoo module and put it in the addons folder, these automated backups will not backup that folder.

Test your Odoo backups to make sure they recover as expected

This is a good rule for any ERP system or critical business system, not just Odoo. Too often backup systems are not tested to make sure that the backups are recoverable. Or at least recoverable in a timely manner. It is highly recommended that you regularly check your backup system to not only make sure it is backing up the files as expected, but that you can perform a full system recovery.

Know your potential down time under the worst circumstances

After you have a backup system in place and have tested it to make sure it is working properly, do a risk assessment on that backup system to make sure the time of recovery is acceptable. If you are hosting yourself, how long will it take you to get replacement hardware if the server running Odoo dies? If you are not backing up your entire server (which is recommended in addition to Odoo specific backups), what are the steps and time required to get everything re-configured. Don't leave it to chance. On a regular basis you need to run simulations and test recovery time as if you have lost your server and you are left with only your backups. Make sure that this is inline with acceptable risk for your business.

Odoo databases need special care when in production

While in production be careful installing new applications, removing old applications, or changing any of the Odoo configuration parameters. Always test a database recovery before you make any changes to a production system. A good practice is to have a staging server that can quickly be put into production in case you run into serious problems with your Odoo installation. You don't want to be troubleshooting Odoo installations on a live production server.