ZOVANTA SOFTWARE / KNOWLEDGEBASE

Forovanta starter • beta.156e

Prove a backup can restore the forum

Where: Admin → Backups & restore; a separate staging installation

Before you start

A database-only backup or JSON export is not all uploaded bytes. A successful checksum verifies archive integrity, not that the target web server/mail/storage configuration is correct.

Steps

  1. Take a full backup and Verify it. Download an independent copy.
  2. Prepare a separate staging target with the same compatible software.
  3. Restore the chosen archive, deliberately selecting merge or empty-table behaviour.
  4. Test sign-in, a topic/reply, private message, permission boundary, avatar, attachment, resource file and paid-file restriction.
  5. Record the backup date/version, results and any missing files. Keep production traffic untouched.

Verify

Staging opens the actual saved files and enforces the same audience restrictions. Verify the version and count representative records.

Troubleshooting

Missing file bytes require the correct full backup/storage copy. Never practise destructive restore against a live customer forum as a test.