A Shell Script to Backup MongoDB Database

Shell Script to Backup MongoDB Database

Creating a shell script for backing up a MongoDB database can automate the process and save time. Below is a simple shell script that uses mongodump to back up a MongoDB database and store the backup in a specific directory.

1. Create the Shell Script

Open a terminal and create a new script file. You can name it backup_mongo.sh:
```
touch backup_mongo.sh
```
Open the script file in your preferred text editor (e.g., nano):
```
nano backup_mongo.sh
```
Add the following content to the script:

#!/bin/bash

# Set the MongoDB connection details (replace with your details)
MONGO_HOST="127.0.0.1"      # MongoDB Host (default is localhost)
MONGO_PORT="27017"          # MongoDB Port (default is 27017)
MONGO_DB="blogDB"           # MongoDB Database Name to back up
BACKUP_DIR="/path/to/backup" # Backup directory (modify to your desired location)
DATE=$(date +"%Y%m%d_%H%M%S") # Timestamp for unique backup folder

# Create a backup folder with timestamp
mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR/$DATE"

# Perform the backup using mongodump
echo "Starting backup of $MONGO_DB database..."
mongodump --host "$MONGO_HOST" --port "$MONGO_PORT" --db "$MONGO_DB" --out "$BACKUP_DIR/$DATE"

# Check if mongodump was successful
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
    echo "✅ Backup completed successfully! Backup is stored in $BACKUP_DIR/$DATE"
else
    echo "❌ Backup failed!"
fi

4. Explanation of the Script

MONGO_HOST: The MongoDB server's hostname or IP address (default is 127.0.0.1 for local MongoDB).
MONGO_PORT: The port MongoDB is listening on (default is 27017).
MONGO_DB: The name of the database you want to back up (e.g., blogDB).
BACKUP_DIR: The directory where backups will be stored. Modify it to your desired path.
DATE: A timestamp to make each backup folder unique.
mongodump: The command to create the backup, which includes the database name and backup location.
The script checks if mongodump was successful by inspecting the exit status ($?). If the command returns 0, it means success.

5. Make the Script Executable

After saving the file, make the script executable by running the following command:

chmod +x backup_mongo.sh

6. Run the Script

Now, you can run the script to back up your MongoDB database:

./backup_mongo.sh

7. Verify the Backup

Check the BACKUP_DIR directory for the backup files. The backup should be stored in a folder with the current date and time in the directory you specified ($BACKUP_DIR/$DATE).

8. Automate the Backup (Optional)

To automate the backup process, you can schedule the script to run at specific intervals using cron jobs.

Open the crontab editor:
```
crontab -e
```
Add a cron job to run the script every day at midnight (or adjust the timing as needed):
```
0 0 * * * /path/to/backup_mongo.sh
```

This will execute the backup script every day at 12:00 AM.

9. Conclusion

Created a shell script to back up a MongoDB database automatically.
Scheduled backups using cron for automation.
The backup is stored with a timestamp, ensuring unique backup folders for each run.

Would you like more help on scheduling backups or any specific customizations for your script? 🚀

Souy Soeng