Examples of creating and restoring MongoDB backups

27min
Description
Practical examples of creating backups in MongoDB. Backups are necessary to ensure data security and recovery in case of system failure or data loss.

It is recommended to perform daily backups of MongoDB databases and keep copies for the last week. This will allow you to restore data from Passwork if necessary.

The administration utilities that are installed with MongoDB are used to create and restore:
Create backups — mongodump
Restore backups — mongorestore
Location of the administration utilities
Administration utilities are located in a directory that is added to the system PATH path, making them available for use from the CLI command line.
Typically, the utilities are located in the following directories:
/usr/bin/
/usr/local/bin/
﻿
By default MongoDB administration utilities are not located in the $PATH environment variable, to use it you need to search for utilities using PowerShell.
Open PowerShell as — "Administrator":
Right-click on the Start icon in the lower left corner of the screen;
Select "Windows PowerShell (Administrator)" from the context menu.
Perform a search for administration utilities:
PowerShell
$utilityPath = Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\" -Filter "mongodump.exe" -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -First 1; $utilityDirectory = $utilityPath.DirectoryName; cd $utilityDirectory
$utilityPath = Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\" -Filter "mongodump.exe" -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -First 1; $utilityDirectory = $utilityPath.DirectoryName; cd $utilityDirectory
﻿
If MongoDB and the administration utilities were installed on a non-standard drive, you need to change the search path in the -Path parameter
Once executed, the current working directory will be changed to the one in which the utilities are located, to test execute:
PowerShell
dir
dir
﻿
Docker builds use MongoDB backup and restore scripts, which are located in the root directory of the Passwork installation:
/<passwork>/db-backup.sh
/<passwork>/db-restore.sh
Examples of creating backups in MongoDB
Before executing the commands, you need to create a directory where MongoDB backups will be located:
Linux — mkdir /backup/
Windows Server — mkdir C:\backup\
Single installation without authorisation
Linux
Shell
mongodump --host localhost:27017 --archive=/backup/mongo-$(date "+%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M").dump
mongodump --host localhost:27017 --archive=/backup/mongo-$(date "+%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M").dump
﻿
Windows Server
PowerShell
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm"
.\mongodump --host localhost:27017 --archive="C:\backup\mongo-$timestamp.dump"
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm"
.\mongodump --host localhost:27017 --archive="C:\backup\mongo-$timestamp.dump"
﻿
Single installation with authorisation
For the example, a MongoDB user with data is used:
Login — adminuser
Password — password
Linux
Shell
mongodump --host localhost:27017 -u adminuser -p password --archive=/backup/mongo-$(date "+%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M").dump
mongodump --host localhost:27017 -u adminuser -p password --archive=/backup/mongo-$(date "+%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M").dump
﻿
Windows Server
PowerShell
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm"
.\mongodump --host localhost:27017 -u adminuser -p password --archive="C:\backup\mongo-$timestamp.dump"
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm"
.\mongodump --host localhost:27017 -u adminuser -p password --archive="C:\backup\mongo-$timestamp.dump"
﻿
Repica set (replica set) without authorisation
Linux
Shell
mongodump --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 --archive=/backup/mongo-$(date "+%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M").dump
mongodump --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 --archive=/backup/mongo-$(date "+%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M").dump
﻿
Windows Server
PowerShell
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm"
.\mongodump --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 --archive="C:\backup\mongo-$timestamp.dump"
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm"
.\mongodump --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 --archive="C:\backup\mongo-$timestamp.dump"
﻿
Replication set (replica set) with authorisation
For the example, a MongoDB user with data is used:
Login — adminuser
Password — password
Linux
Shell
mongodump --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 -u adminuser -p password --archive=/backup/mongo-$(date "+%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M").dump
mongodump --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 -u adminuser -p password --archive=/backup/mongo-$(date "+%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M").dump
﻿
Windows Server
PowerShell
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm"
.\mongodump --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 -u adminuser -p password --archive="C:\backup\mongo-$timestamp.dump"
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm"
.\mongodump --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 -u adminuser -p password --archive="C:\backup\mongo-$timestamp.dump"
﻿
Examples of restoring backups in MongoDB
Single installation without authorisation
Linux
Shell
mongorestore --host localhost:27017 --drop --archive=/backup/mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx:xx.dump
mongorestore --host localhost:27017 --drop --archive=/backup/mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx:xx.dump
﻿
Windows Server
PowerShell
.\mongorestore --host localhost:27017 --drop --archive="C:\backup\mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx-xx.dump"
.\mongorestore --host localhost:27017 --drop --archive="C:\backup\mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx-xx.dump"
﻿
Single installation with authorisation
For the example, a MongoDB user with data is used:
Login — adminuser
Password — password
Linux
Shell
mongorestore --host localhost:27017 -u adminuser -p password --drop --archive=/backup/mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx:xx.dump
mongorestore --host localhost:27017 -u adminuser -p password --drop --archive=/backup/mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx:xx.dump
﻿
Windows Server
PowerShell
.\mongorestore --host localhost:27017 -u adminuser -p password --drop --archive="C:\backup\mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx-xx.dump"
.\mongorestore --host localhost:27017 -u adminuser -p password --drop --archive="C:\backup\mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx-xx.dump"
﻿
Repica set (replica set) without authorisation
Linux
Shell
mongorestore --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 --drop --archive=/backup/mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx:xx.dump
mongorestore --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 --drop --archive=/backup/mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx:xx.dump
﻿
Windows Server
PowerShell
.\mongorestore --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 --drop --archive="C:\backup\mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx-xx.dump"
.\mongorestore --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 --drop --archive="C:\backup\mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx-xx.dump"
﻿
Replication set (replica set) with authorisation
For the example, a MongoDB user with data is used:
Login — adminuser
Password — password
Linux
Shell
mongorestore --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 -u adminuser -p password --drop --archive=/backup/mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx:xx.dump
mongorestore --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 -u adminuser -p password --drop --archive=/backup/mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx:xx.dump
﻿
Windows Server
PowerShell
.\mongorestore --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 -u adminuser -p password --drop --archive="C:\backup\mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx-xx.dump"
.\mongorestore --host rs0/mongo.example.01:27017,mongo.example.02:27017,mongo.example.03:27017 -u adminuser -p password --drop --archive="C:\backup\mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx-xx.dump"
﻿
Separate recovery of the Passwork database
Description
The option is described on the example of basic installation of MongoDB components. It is possible to use any of the previously described options by specifying an attribute to the restore command.
Example of recovery
Linux
Shell
mongorestore --host localhost:27017 --nsInclude=pwbox.* --drop --archive=/backup/mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx:xx.dump
mongorestore --host localhost:27017 --nsInclude=pwbox.* --drop --archive=/backup/mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx:xx.dump
﻿
Windows Server
PowerShell
.\mongorestore --host localhost:27017 --nsInclude=pwbox.* --drop --archive="C:\backup\mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx-xx.dump"
.\mongorestore --host localhost:27017 --nsInclude=pwbox.* --drop --archive="C:\backup\mongo-xxxx-xx-xx_xx-xx.dump"
﻿
Once executed, only the Passwork database will be restored from the specified MongoDB backup file.
Configuring scheduled backups
Linux
To configure the frequency of database backups, it is recommended to use the built-in event scheduler — crontab.
More details about crontab and examples of its use — Crontab basics﻿﻿
Configuring crontab for backups should be done on the server where the administration utility, mongodump, is available.
Windows Server
Create an automation file with the extension .ps1 and specify the following:
PowerShell
# Getting the current time
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm"

# Search for mongodump.exe administration utility
$utilityPath = Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\" -Filter "mongodump.exe" -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -First 1

# Changing the working directory to the location directory of the administration utilities
$utilityDirectory = $utilityPath.DirectoryName
cd $utilityDirectory

# Creating a MongoDB backup
.\mongodump --host localhost:27017 --archive="C:\backup\mongo-$timestamp.dump"
# Getting the current time
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm"

# Search for mongodump.exe administration utility
$utilityPath = Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\" -Filter "mongodump.exe" -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -First 1

# Changing the working directory to the location directory of the administration utilities
$utilityDirectory = $utilityPath.DirectoryName
cd $utilityDirectory

# Creating a MongoDB backup
.\mongodump --host localhost:27017 --archive="C:\backup\mongo-$timestamp.dump"
﻿
Note to self:
If MongoDB and the administration utilities were installed on a non-standard drive, you need to change the path to search in the -Path parameter;
Before starting a task in the Event Scheduler, you need to create a directory where MongoDB backups will be located.
Open PowerShell as — "Administrator":
Right-click on the Start icon in the lower left corner of the screen;
Select "Windows PowerShell (Administrator)" from the context menu.
Create a task in the Event Scheduler to create MongoDB backups:
PowerShell
# Action to run the backup.example.ps1 script using PowerShell
$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "powershell.exe" -Argument "-File C:\backup.example.ps1"

# To be done every day at 02:00 a.m.
$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At "02:00AM"

# Parameters of the task to be created 
$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -StartWhenAvailable -Hidden -Priority 5

# Creating a task 
Register-ScheduledTask -Action $action -TaskName "mongodb-example-backups" -Settings $settings -Trigger $trigger -RunLevel Highest -User "username" -Password "password" -Force
# Action to run the backup.example.ps1 script using PowerShell
$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "powershell.exe" -Argument "-File C:\backup.example.ps1"

# To be done every day at 02:00 a.m.
$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At "02:00AM"

# Parameters of the task to be created 
$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -StartWhenAvailable -Hidden -Priority 5

# Creating a task 
Register-ScheduledTask -Action $action -TaskName "mongodb-example-backups" -Settings $settings -Trigger $trigger -RunLevel Highest -User "username" -Password "password" -Force
﻿
Note to self:
You need to change the names and location of the automated file you run — .ps1;
It is recommended to use the "Administrator" account to perform the background task. If another user is used, make sure that the user has sufficient rights to perform all actions.
﻿
Updated 10 Oct 2024
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