Backup & Restore

GST Manager protects your install during updates with automated safeguards:

• Pre-update snapshot: Takes a full backup of files and module database tables before updating.
• Automated recovery: Restores files and database automatically if an update fails.
• Database archives: Retains downloadable SQL backups after successful updates.

Backup before every update

Before every update, GST Manager creates a complete pre-update snapshot:

• Automatic capture: Runs automatically during Update Now under Addons → GST Manager → Global Settings → Update Status.
• Full scope: Backs up module files and all GST Manager database tables.
• Zero configuration: No manual backup trigger required. See Updating for update details.

Automatic restore on failure

If an update fails partway through, GST Manager reverts changes immediately:

• State preservation: Restores original files and database tables from the pre-update backup.
• Zero downtime: Leaves your installation exactly as it was before the update attempt.
• Safe failure: Failed updates act as a safe no-op with no orphan files.

TIP

Because the backup is taken first, a failed one-click update never leaves you with a half-applied version.

Retained database backups

After a successful update, GST Manager cleans temporary files and saves database archives:

• File cleanup: Removes the pre-update file archive (re-download releases from your client area).
• Database archive: Keeps a snapshot listed under Update Status → Database Backups.
• Download link: Download archives directly via the Download action.

Addons → GST Manager → Global Settings → Update Status → Database Backups

Store these privately

A retained database backup includes your configuration and license details. Download it only over a secure connection and store it privately — never in a publicly reachable location.

Where backups are stored

Backups live in modules/addons/gst_manager_backups/ on your server:

• Apache servers: Access to this directory is blocked automatically via .htaccess.
• nginx servers: Request your host to explicitly deny web access to modules/addons/gst_manager_backups/.

WARNING

The backups directory holds sensitive data. If you're on nginx, confirm with your host that modules/addons/gst_manager_backups/ is not web-accessible before relying on one-click updates.

Rolling back a successful update

To return to a previous release version manually:

1. Download archive: Obtain the prior release ZIP from your client area.
2. Deploy files: Extract and overwrite files in modules/addons/gst_manager/ per manual update steps.
3. Database recovery: If database rollback is needed, contact support for assistance.

INFO

Rolling back is uncommon. If an update caused a problem, check Troubleshooting first — most issues are resolved by a re-sync or a configuration fix rather than a full rollback.

Related pages

• Updating — the one-click and manual update flows
• Troubleshooting — resolving update issues
• Licensing — license details are part of a backup