Backup for Docker installation

Configuration file, embedded SQLite database, log files are all saved into CTFreak config folder /data.

CTFreak offers 2 methods for backing up/restoring his data.

Cold backup

The cold backup allows you, with a momentary service shutdown, to perform a complete backup of CTFreak.

Backup

Shut down the CTFreak service/container.

docker compose stop

Make a backup of the CTFreak config folder.

Make a backup of the PostgreSQL backend database (only if you have chosen this type of backend rather than the default embedded SQLite database).

Start the service/container.

docker compose up -d

Restoration

Stop CTFreak service/container.

Replace the CTFreak config folder with the backed up one.

Restore the backup of the PostgreSQL backend database (only if you have chosen this type of backend rather than the default embedded SQLite database).

Start CTFreak service/container.

Hot backup

Hot backup is a partial backup, which means that the log and data files of your executions and the configuration file are not taken into account (in fact, only the backend database is backed up).

However, it has the advantage of not requiring a service shutdown.

If you cannot find a time window where no task is being executed in CTFreak, then a hot backup can be a good compromise.

For embedded SQLite backend database

Backup

When a hot backup is launched (either on demand or via a cron schedule), a ctfreak.backup file is created (or overwritten) in your backup folder.

To enable hot backup, log in to the UI as an administrator, go to Settings → Backup → Edit and complete the form.

Backup folder

Folder location for your backup files

Timestamp

By default, the backup file is named ctfreak.backup and overwritten on each backup.

However, you can choose to suffix the file with the current date in RFC3339 format (backup file will then be named ctfreak-2006-01-02T15:04:05Z07:00.backup), and define a maximum number of backups to keep.

Scheduling

Just like with tasks, hot backup can be scheduled using a cron expression that follows this format.

Restoration

From a fresh installation of CTFreak:

Stop CTFreak service/container.

In the CTFreak config folder:

  • Delete all db.sqlite* files.
  • Copy the file ctfreak.backup and rename it to db.sqlite.

Start CTFreak service/container.

For PostgreSQL backend database

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