MdmHost's daily JetBackup 5 backups contain more than files, databases and email. They also hold your DNS zones, cron jobs, SSL certificates and account settings. This guide covers those less-used restore types, the full account restore, and downloading backups for your own archive.
Before you start
- Open cPanel → JetBackup 5. The left menu lists the backup types available on your account.
- Every restore overwrites the current item with the backup copy. Choose the date carefully.
- For single files, databases or mailboxes see files, databases and email.
Restore DNS zones
- Open DNS Zones (or DNS Backups).
- Pick the domain and a backup date from before the unwanted change.
- Click Restore and confirm. The whole zone is replaced, including records added since.
- Verify in Zone Editor and with a DNS lookup.
Note: DNS backups only matter if your domain uses MdmHost nameservers. If DNS is hosted elsewhere, restore the records there.
Restore cron jobs
- Open Cron Jobs backups.
- Choose a date and click Restore. Your current cron list is replaced by the backup's list.
- Check cPanel Cron Jobs afterwards and remove anything outdated.
Restore SSL certificates
Open SSL Certificates, choose the certificate and date, and click Restore. This is useful for a purchased certificate you deleted by mistake. Free AutoSSL certificates are simply reissued, so you rarely need to restore those.
Full account restore
Full Account Backups contain everything above in one snapshot. Restoring it rolls the whole account back to that day.
- All files, databases and mailboxes return to the backup state; orders, posts and mail received since are lost unless you save them first.
- You may be able to choose which components to include on the restore screen (e.g. exclude email). Use that to protect recent mail.
- Full restores can take a long time for large accounts; watch the Queue.
Warning: A full restore is the last resort. For a hacked site or a broken update, restoring only files and the database of that site is usually enough and keeps your email intact. Ask support if unsure.
Download a backup
- In any backup type (or Full Account Backups), select the item and date and click Download.
- JetBackup prepares an archive in the background. Check the Queue.
- Open Downloads and click the finished file to save it. Downloads expire after some time, so save them promptly.
A full account download is a cPanel-compatible archive that a cPanel host can restore, handy for long-term archives. See also cPanel's own Backup tool.
Troubleshooting
- Backup type missing: it is not included in your plan's backup schedule. Contact support.
- Restore failed: the account may be over quota or another job is running; check the Queue log.