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DRONEHQ ADMIN - OWNER ONLY
Backup & Recovery
Track DroneHQ source-code backup policy, required project folders, retention rules, restore readiness, and future owner backup automation.
Backup verification
Not checked
Click Verify Backups to check local and external source and environment recovery backups.
Backup and recovery overview
This owner workspace runs and verifies DroneHQ source backups and separate environment recovery backups from the development workstation. Each run creates both a local copy and an external-drive copy.
Backup protection is now a release requirement.
Owner-controlled automation
Major Admin UI, route, template, CSS, Sync Agent, and API changes should not be left unbacked-up overnight.
| Backup Area | Purpose | Current State | Next Connection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local backup | Fast restore point on the development workstation before major changes | Required | Backup script summary |
| External backup | Protection if the C drive fails or Windows becomes unusable | Required | External drive verification |
| Critical source backup | Smaller backup of active source code, templates, static files, docs, scripts, and configs | In progress | Reusable PowerShell script |
| Full archive backup | Large backup that may include test data, old release archives, updates, and legacy material | As needed | Offline archive schedule |
| Cloud backup | Future SaaS source control, deployment artifacts, database migrations, and storage policies | Future | Cloud backup and source-control workflow |
| Backup Type | Location | Last Backup | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local full folder backup | C:\DroneHQ\Backups | Not verified Run verify | Confirmed manually | Local restore point. Use first for recovering accidental edits. |
| External backup | E:\DroneHQ\Backup | Not verified Run verify | Verify manually | Protection if the C drive fails. Routine external backup should focus on critical source folders. |
| Local environment recovery | C:\DroneHQ\Backups\Recovery | Not verified Run verify | Verify | Readable recovery copy of live .env files. Keep this workstation physically secure. |
| External environment recovery | E:\DroneHQ\Backup\Recovery | Not verified Run verify | Verify | Second readable recovery copy of live .env files on the external drive. |
| Full recovery script | C:\DroneHQ\backup_dronehq_full_recovery.ps1 | Not applicable Planned | Planned | Should create local and external backups with retention. |
| Inventory report | C:\DroneHQ\Backups | Not applicable Planned | Planned | Needed to separate source code from old archives and test files. |
| Category | Include in Daily Backup | Reason | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active application source | Yes | Required to run and continue DroneHQ development | DroneHQ_Online |
| Sync Agent source | Yes | Required for controller sync, upload flow, pairing, and desktop agent work | Sync Agent |
| API source and helpers | Yes | Required for SaaS/API boundary and future service hardening | DroneHQ API |
| Docs and notes | Yes | Project knowledge, architecture, release notes, and recovery instructions | Docs, Documentation, Patch Notes |
| Old releases and updates | Archive only | Useful, but can make daily backups too large | Updates, Old_Releases_Archive, Releases |
| Generated/cache folders | No | Can be recreated and make backups noisy | venv, .venv, __pycache__, build, dist, node_modules |
| Folder | Backup Category | Daily Backup | External Backup | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DroneHQ_Online | Active source | Yes | Yes | Main DroneHQ application. |
| Sync Agent | Active source | Yes | Yes | Desktop Sync Agent work and related source files. |
| DroneHQ API | Active source/API | Yes | Yes | API boundary and service code. |
| Docs / Documentation / Patch Notes | Project knowledge | Yes | Yes | Architecture notes, release notes, and recovery details. |
| Test Files | Large test/archive data | Review | Archive only | Likely large. Inventory before including in routine backups. |
| Updates / Releases / Old_Releases_Archive | Archive material | Review | Archive only | Useful history, but not needed in every daily backup. |
| Backup Set | Minimum Retention | Preferred Retention | Delete Rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily critical source backups | 3 verified backups | Newest 3 in each location | Automatically delete anything older than the newest 3 only after the new local and external backups are verified | Best routine protection for active development. |
| Environment recovery backups | 3 verified backups | Newest 3 in each location | Automatically delete anything older than the newest 3 only after credential files and SHA-256 verification succeed | Contains private .env and credential recovery files. |
| Full folder backups | 1 known-good copy | Keep latest plus one older known-good copy if space allows | Delete manually after critical backups are confirmed | Large, slower, and not ideal for every session. |
| Release backups | Keep release history | Archive externally | Never delete current release without a newer verified release | Needed for rollback and audit history. |
| Temporary caches | None | None | Exclude automatically | venv, __pycache__, build output, and logs should not be routine backups. |
| Restore Step | Action | Status | Owner Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Identify the newest known-good local or external backup folder | Manual | Do not overwrite current work until the target backup is confirmed. |
| 2 | Copy backup to a temporary restore folder first | Manual | Avoid restoring directly over the active project without review. |
| 3 | Compare critical folders against active source | Manual | Start with DroneHQ_Online, Sync Agent, API, docs, scripts, and configs. |
| 4 | Compile Python files and restart the development server | Manual | Use py_compile after route changes and test shared shell behavior. |
| 5 | Verify dashboard, admin dropdown, crawler, account menu, and changed routes | Manual | Restore is not complete until the UI and routes are tested. |
This page now verifies local and external backup status through owner-only backend routes.
Critical backup creation can be started from this page. Restore, deletion, retention cleanup,
and full backup automation remain manual or planned until the local admin backup service is hardened.