# Using TISBackup

As seen in the section on installing TISbackup, once the TISBackup installation is up and running, we have the choice of these actions:

    backup: launch all backups or a specific one if -s option is used
    cleanup: removed backups older than retension period
    checknagios: check all or a specific backup against max_backup_age parameter
    dumpstat: dump the content of database for the last 20 backups
    retryfailed:  try to relaunch the last failed backups
    listdrivers:  list available backup types and parameters for config inifile
    exportbackup:  copy lastest OK backups from local to location defned by --exportdir parameter
    register_existing: scan backup directories and add missing backups to database

The 3 following options can be used with any tisbackup action.

- the `-c` config_file option allows to specify a backup file, by default `/etc/tis/tisbackup-config.ini` is used:

      tisbackup backup -c /etc/toto/test-config.ini

- the `-s` section_name option allows to launch only the action on the specified section:

      tisbackup backup -s section_name

- the `-d` option allows you to simulate an action in order to see the commands launched by it.

      tisbackup backup -d

- backup launches a backup action:

      tisbackup backup

- cleanup removes backups older than the time specified in the `backup_retention_time` parameter of the configuration file:

      tisbackup cleanup

- checknagios allows the backup information to be uploaded to the nagios monitoring server:

      tisbackup checknagios

- dumpstat displays all information about the last 20 backups in tabular format:

      tisbackup dumpstat

- retryfailed restarts only the backup of the failed sections:

      tisbackup retryfailed

- listdrivers lists all the possible types of backups and their parameters:

      tisbackup listdrivers

- exportbackup copies the last good backup to a directory, you must use the `--exportdir` option to specify or copy the export:

      tisbackup exportbackup --exportdir example_directory

- register_existing checks the backup directory and saves information from previous backups to tisbackup in the database;

## Exporting backups

With this procedure, you will be able to export your backups on USB Hard Disk Drives for your off-line backup needs.

The partition of your HDD must be ext4 formated and labeled tisbackup.

    fdisk /dev/xvdc
    Command (m for help): n
    Select (default p): p
    Partition number (1-4, default 1): 1
    "Enter"
    "Enter"
    Command (m for help): w

    mkfs.ext4 /dev/xvdc1
    e2label /dev/xvdc1 tisbackup

Exporting a backup to an external USB HDD

Status of exported backups