# Comparing backups and exports

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/comparing-backups-and-exports/58785>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Tags:** ignition79\
**Created:** [April 25, 2022, 2:31am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/comparing-backups-and-exports/58785 "2022-04-25T02:31:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![robby.tanner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@robby.tanner](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/robby.tanner)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 2:31am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/comparing-backups-and-exports/58785/1 "2022-04-25T02:31:09Z")

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We want to make sure we have everything backed up in the event of a failure. So, we’ve been backing up the Gateway through the web interface as well as exporting tags.xml, and whatever FILE | EXPORT and FILE | EXPORT GLOBAL gives us.

That seems like overkill. Will automatically backing up Gateway and exporting the project cover everything? Is there an easy way to automate backing up the project?

Regards,  
Rob

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**Author:** ![robby.tanner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@robby.tanner](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/robby.tanner)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 2:33am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/comparing-backups-and-exports/58785/2 "2022-04-25T02:33:27Z")

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To expand on that:

Is FILE | EXPORT GLOBAL the same as the gateway backup?  
Are tags included in the FILE | EXPORT (project) backup?

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**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 12:55pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/comparing-backups-and-exports/58785/3 "2022-04-25T12:55:05Z")

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Project backups include only project-specific resources–therefore do not include gateway tags, data sources, device connections, history configuration, et cetera.

A gateway backup includes all of the above, including all projects and all non-project resources.

Use the scheduled gateway backup feature. Individual project backups are not required.

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**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 12:58pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/comparing-backups-and-exports/58785/4 "2022-04-25T12:58:26Z")

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A gateway backup does _ **NOT** _ include modules, and does _ **NOT** _ include your license. You can test your backups by installing the same version of Ignition in a VM or spare computer, add/remove modules to match your running system, and then restore your backup into that machine. You can use the two-hour trial mode to examine the functionality for completeness.

(Do isolate that machine from your production devices and databases.)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![robby.tanner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@robby.tanner](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/robby.tanner)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 7:55pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/comparing-backups-and-exports/58785/5 "2022-04-29T19:55:48Z")

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Thanks very much for the tips!!!