Having regular data backups is crucial for any organization in order to avoid data loss and maintain the smooth running of business operations. This principle also applies to Jira, a well-known project management software used by numerous companies globally.
In today’s blog post, we will guide you step-by-step on how to backup your Jira data. Doing so will ensure you have a fail-safe backup in place, which could be a real lifesaver in case of a system failure or data corruption.
Step 1 – Login to Jira as an Administrator
To perform a backup, you need to have administrative privileges in your Jira system. Login using your administrative credentials to proceed.
Step 2 – Access the Backup Manager
Once you’re logged in as an administrator, navigate to the backup manager in Jira. You can do this by following the path: System > Import and Export > Backup System. You will then be directed to the ‘Backup System’ page.
Step 3 – Backup Jira Data
On the Backup System page, you have two options, backup attachments and backup your Jira data as an XML file.
Backup Attachments
If your Jira issues have attachments, you need to manually back them up by copying the attachments directory in your Jira home directory to another location.
Backup Jira Data as XML
To backup your Jira data as an XML file, you simply need to click on the ‘Backup’ button. Before you proceed, you can choose a filename for your backup file. If you leave the field blank, Jira will automatically generate a filename for you.
Once you click the ‘Backup’ button, Jira will create an XML file containing all your data and save it in the ‘exports’ subdirectory of your Jira home directory.
The path to the XML file will be something like this:
Remember to replace ‘YYYYMMDD’ with the actual date of the backup.
Final Step – Secure Your Backup
Once your backup is complete, it’s essential to secure it. Make sure you copy your XML backup file and the attachments folder to a safe and secure location. This could be an off-site location, a cloud storage solution, or a secure, encrypted drive.
And that’s it! You’ve now successfully backed up your Jira data. Regularly backing up your Jira data can save you from unexpected data loss and keep your project management efforts smooth and uninterrupted.
For more detailed instructions and information, you can always refer to Atlassian’s official documentation.
