Backup Strategy Overview

Overview

Reliable backups are essential for protecting your ictVoIP Billing and PBX environments. This guide provides a high-level backup strategy for ictVoIP Billing v1.4.0 deployments using WHMCS and supported PBX modules.

What Needs to Be Backed Up

At a minimum, ensure you back up the following components:

  • WHMCS Database - Contains all client, product, invoice, and ictVoIP Billing addon

    data.

  • WHMCS Files - WHMCS core files and the ictVoIP Billing addon directory. - Custom templates, hooks, and configuration files.

  • PBX Database (for example, FusionPBX PostgreSQL database) - Contains domains, extensions, dialplans, gateways, and CDR

    references.

  • PBX Configuration Files - Web server configuration for the PBX (for example, nginx

    virtual hosts).

    • PBX configuration directories and custom API scripts.

  • SSL/TLS Certificates - Certificates and keys for WHMCS and PBX HTTPS endpoints.

Backup Frequency

Backup frequency depends on your change and billing volume, but a common pattern is:

  • Daily - WHMCS database dump. - PBX database dump.

  • Weekly - WHMCS and PBX application files. - Web server and PBX configuration files.

  • Before Upgrades - Full snapshot of WHMCS database and files. - Full snapshot of PBX database and configuration.

Storage & Retention

  • Store backups on separate storage from the production servers.

  • Use multiple retention layers: - Short-term (for example, 7–14 days) for quick recovery. - Medium-term (for example, 4–8 weeks) for billing dispute windows. - Long-term archives, if required by your business or regulations.

  • Encrypt sensitive backups at rest and in transit.

Testing Backups

Backups are only useful if they can be restored. Periodically:

  • Test restoring the WHMCS database to a non-production environment.

  • Test restoring the PBX database and configuration in a lab system.

  • Verify that ictVoIP Billing addon pages and PBX services operate normally in the restored environment.

Coordination with Upgrades

Before performing upgrades of:

  • WHMCS

  • ictVoIP Billing addon

  • PBX server modules (for example, FusionPBX module)

  • PBX software itself

Always:

  • Take a fresh backup of all relevant databases and configuration files.

  • Confirm the backup files are complete and accessible.

For detailed restore procedures, see getting_started/restore.