Critical Data

SQL Data

There are two SQL databases that contain critical data for MinistryPlatform: The MinistryPlatform database and the ReportServer database. Both databases are backed up on a regular basis through SQL Maintenance Plan. The Maintenance Plan stores a backup of the database on the local server. These backup files (particularly the .bak files) should be backed up to alternate media every night.

File Storage

On your web server, there is a folder in the root of your data partition named _MinistryPlatformFileStorage (or something similar). This folder contains all of the images in MinistryPlatform, including photos, scans, and icons. This folder should be backed up to alternate media every night.

Custom Themes and Skins

Church-specific theme customizations in the MinistryPlatform applications should be backed up whenever you change them. These include the wwwroot\Portal\churchname\_DomainData folder under Portal and the Themes and Nametags folders in wwwroot\Checkin\churchname\_DomainData folder.

SSRS Encryption Key

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) uses encryption to protect sensitive data with an encryption key. The encryption key used by SSRS is separate from the database and must be backed up separately. If you move the ReportServer database you must restore the encryption key before SSRS will function. The encryption key only needs to be backed up once unless you manually change the encryption key or make major changes to the system. See How to Backup SSRS Encryption Key.

SSL Certificate

MinistryPlatform relies on SSL encryption to secure traffic between client and web server. A stored SSL certificate provides the key used to encrypt and decrypt the traffic. SSL certificates are issued by publicly-trusted Certificate Authorities for a set period of time and must be renewed before they expire. Certificates are typically issued with one-, two-, or three-year terms. Most Certificate Authorities re-issue a certificate at little or no cost if a certificate is lost due to hardware failure, but a re-issue can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. You can avoid the hassle of requesting a re-issue by backing up your SSL certificate every time you renew. An SSL certificate only needs to be backed up once.

Tip: Save backups of the SSRS encryption key and SSL Certificate in your Database Backups folder so they automatically get backed up to alternate media as part of your scheduled nightly job.

Custom Apps

If you have done custom development or installed apps written by other churches you should make sure you have the application files as part of your backup plan. We can't help you put custom applications back together, particularly if you wrote them, and third-party developers may not be available to help you re-install applications in case of a disaster. Most third party and custom applications are stored in wwwroot alongside the default MinistryPlatform applications.

Important Files to speed up your restore

If you have done custom development or installed apps written by other churches you should make sure you have the application files as part of your backup plan. We can't help you put custom applications back together, particularly if you wrote them, and third party developers may not be available to help you re-install applications in case of a disaster. Most third-party and custom applications are stored in wwwroot alongside the default MinistryPlatform applications.

MinistryPlatform Web Application Files

The wwwroot folder on your web server's data partition contains the web application files that make up the MinistryPlatform ecosystem.

The _MinistryPlatformTools folder on your web server's data partition provides scheduled services outside of the MinistryPlatform web application, like email delivery. You should back up these files at least every time an update is installed.

Self Hosted vs. Cloud Hosted

Some backups are configured for all customers during the initial install process. Learn more by reviewing the SQL Maintenance Plans.

• A full database backup is scheduled nightly.
• Transaction log backups are scheduled every 15 minutes.

Cloud customers enjoy additional data protection services.

• Shared Cloud server backups are performed nightly and stored on a separate infrastructure.
• Shared Cloud servers are replicated every five minutes to separate physical hardware.
• Databases and application file backups are created nightly and replicated to an offsite datacenter. These are also backed up to tape.