Yet Another Python Backup Script (YAP-BackS)

A flexible Python-based backup solution for MySQL databases and file systems. Create automated backups with configurable settings through a simple YAML configuration file.

Features

• MySQL Database Backups: Automated mysqldump with optional compression
• File/Directory Backups: Create gzipped tarballs of specified paths
• YAML Configuration: Centralized configuration management
• Dry Run Mode: Test backup operations without creating actual files
• Organized Storage: Automatic organization by year
• Command-line Interface: Simple CLI with flexible options

Requirements

• Python 3.7+
• Poetry (for dependency management)
• MySQL client tools (for database backups)
• gzip (for compression)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone <repository-url>
cd yet-another-python-backup-script

2. Install dependencies using Poetry:

poetry install

Alternatively, install dependencies manually:

pip install pyyaml

Configuration

Create or edit config.yaml in the project root with your backup settings:

# MySQL Backup Configuration
mysql:
  host: localhost
  port: 3306
  username: backup_user
  password: your_secure_password
  compress: true
  databases:
    - database1
    - database2
    - database3

# Backup Root Path Configuration
backup:
  root_path: /path/to/backup/destination
  # Backups will be organized by year in subdirectories

# File/Directory Backup Configuration
file_backups:
  sources:
    - /home/user/documents
    - /home/user/projects
    - /etc/important-configs
    - /opt/application-data

Configuration Options

MySQL Section

• host: MySQL server hostname (default: localhost)
• port: MySQL server port (default: 3306)
• username: MySQL username for authentication
• password: MySQL password for authentication
• compress: Enable gzip compression for dump files (default: true)
• databases: List of database names to backup

Backup Section

• root_path: Root directory where backups will be stored
  • Backups are automatically organized into year subdirectories

File Backups Section

• sources: List of file or directory paths to backup
  • Each path will be archived into a separate gzipped tarball

Usage

Basic Commands

Run backup with default configuration:

poetry run python bin/yap-backs.py

Run in dry-run mode (preview without creating files):

poetry run python bin/yap-backs.py --dry-run

Use a custom configuration file:

poetry run python bin/yap-backs.py --config /path/to/custom-config.yaml

Combine options:

poetry run python bin/yap-backs.py --config prod-config.yaml --dry-run

Command-line Arguments

• --config, -c: Path to configuration file (default: config.yaml)
• --dry-run, -n: Perform dry run without creating actual backups
• --help, -h: Show help message and exit

Output Structure

Backups are organized with the following structure:

/backup/root/path/
└── 2025/
    ├── mysql_backups/
    │   ├── database1_20250131_1430.sql.gz
    │   ├── database2_20250131_1430.sql.gz
    │   └── database3_20250131_1430.sql.gz
    └── backup-home-user-documents_2025-01-31_1430.tar.gz
    └── backup-home-user-projects_2025-01-31_1430.tar.gz
    └── backup-etc-important-configs_2025-01-31_1430.tar.gz

Examples

Example 1: Daily Automated Backups

Create a cron job for daily backups at 2 AM:

0 2 * * * cd /path/to/yet-another-python-backup-script && /usr/local/bin/poetry run python bin/yap-backs.py

Example 2: Multiple Configuration Files

Maintain separate configurations for different environments:

# Production backups
poetry run python bin/yap-backs.py --config config-prod.yaml

# Development backups
poetry run python bin/yap-backs.py --config config-dev.yaml

Example 3: Testing Configuration

Always test new configurations with dry-run first:

poetry run python bin/yap-backs.py --config new-config.yaml --dry-run

Security Considerations

1. Protect Configuration Files: Ensure config.yaml has restricted permissions since it contains database credentials:

   chmod 600 config.yaml

2. Use Dedicated Backup User: Create a MySQL user with minimal required permissions:

   CREATE USER 'backup_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'secure_password';
   GRANT SELECT, LOCK TABLES, SHOW VIEW, EVENT, TRIGGER ON *.* TO 'backup_user'@'localhost';

3. Secure Backup Storage: Ensure backup destination has appropriate access controls

4. Don't Commit Secrets: Add config.yaml to .gitignore to avoid committing sensitive credentials

Troubleshooting

MySQL Connection Errors

If you encounter MySQL connection errors, verify:

• MySQL credentials are correct
• MySQL server is running and accessible
• User has appropriate permissions
• Host and port settings are correct

Permission Errors

If you encounter permission errors:

• Ensure the script has read access to source directories
• Ensure the script has write access to backup destination
• Check that the MySQL user has necessary database privileges

Missing Dependencies

If you get import errors:

poetry install
# or
pip install pyyaml