[Already-existing feature] Auto-clean /wp-content/updraft/ folder

5 Replies

Sometimes backups will not complete (especially on underpowered hosting), and they will leave some of the temporary files in the /wp-content/updraft/ folder. Over time, this can easily fill the available disk space.

I never have UDP keep backup files locally – but the “orphaned” temp files from failed jobs can really add up and cause problems, ranging from new backups not completing, to completely crashing a site.

How about a way to automatically purge of those files?

 

This idea was tagged , , , on February 15, 2018 by Avatar photoAndrew.

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5 Comments

  1. udadmin
    udadmin on February 24, 2018 at 3:06 pm

    Hi,

    UD already has code to auto-clean up temporary files, and rotated backups. If you’re seeing something else happening, then you should read your most recent log file to see why a particular file was not deleted, and then file a support request if it still seems like it should have been.

    David

    • Andrew
      Andrew on February 24, 2018 at 3:15 pm

      Hey David,

      Thanks for the followup. For sure, this is only an occasional issue. But it does happen commonly enough that I think it’s worth a programmatic way to help reduce the clutter.

      Next time I notice it happening I’ll see if I can find the problem in the relevant log file and will let you know.

      My point, however, is that sometimes this happens and we don’t notice it for a long time — since I don’t routinely check the /updraft/ folder. So sometimes it can indeed clutter up with temp files, even if it’s not supposed to…and even when most backups are completing properly.

      My proposal is to have an *extra* check that runs every so often, to clean up files that shouldn’t be there… perhaps the solution is to have an option to have every backup job clean up extra files (not just ones that are associated with that specific backup job)?

      Thanks,
      Andrew

  2. udadmin
    udadmin on March 8, 2018 at 1:08 pm

    Hi Andrew,

    > perhaps the solution is to have an option to have every backup job clean up extra files

    That already exists. If it’s not working on your install for some reason, then you should file a support request.

  3. Scott
    Scott on October 9, 2019 at 2:49 pm

    This is a thing that really, really needs to be addressed. If a backup fails, files are left on the server until an admin manually addresses them. That is a very tedious process that can easily lead to server storage being overwhelmed by backup files. Entire accounts can be shut down because of this. Even if you have UDP setup to Email you for failed backups, it’s far too easy to miss the notification or forget to cleanup the folder.

    The other issue is that sometimes backups complete (or seem to) but backup files that don’t get uploaded are left behind. There is currently no way to get notified about this – you just have to manually check the folder.

    What we need is an option that sends us an Email if old backup files (really anything other than logs) exist in the UDP folder and another option that allows UDP to automatically delete failed backups from the server. I know the argument against that is “what if you need something from a failed backup”, but I’d say the odds of that are very, very small and if it’s an option that’s off by default then no one gets hurt.

    We manage quite a few sites and this issue has been driving us nuts for years. Would love to see a solution.

  4. Scott
    Scott on October 9, 2019 at 2:51 pm

    Also, this shouldn’t be marked as an “existing feature”…

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