Support for Incremental Backups in Pterodactyl Wings

[FischLord]

Is there an existing feature request for this?

• [X] I have searched the existing issues before opening this feature request.

Describe the feature you would like to see.

Currently, Pterodactyl Wings supports only full backups, which can be time-consuming and storage-intensive, especially for large servers with frequent data changes. Implementing incremental backup functionality would allow the system to back up only the data that has changed since the last backup, thereby saving storage space and reducing backup times.

Describe the solution you'd like.

Introduce an option within the Wings backup management interface to select between full and incremental backups. This feature would enable administrators to schedule regular incremental backups, with periodic full backups to ensure data integrity. The system should manage backup chains effectively to maintain consistency and allow for reliable restoration processes.

Additional context to this request.

Incremental backups are a common feature in many backup solutions, offering efficiency in both storage and time. By implementing this feature, Pterodactyl Wings would provide a more robust and flexible backup system, catering to the needs of administrators managing large and dynamic server environments.

[LakshmiBhaskarPVL]

so you mean u want a goddamn sync button?

[FischLord]

so you mean u want a goddamn sync button?

Hi @LakshmiBhaskarPVL, thanks for your response! Actually, the feature request is for a full incremental backup solution, not just a simple sync button. The idea is to allow for a combination of full and incremental backups, where only changed data is saved between backups. This approach would help optimize both storage and backup time, especially valuable for large and dynamic servers.

[LakshmiBhaskarPVL]

ohh ok i think i might me able to make a addon for this

[FischLord]

Thanks, @LakshmiBhaskarPVL , for offering to help with an add-on! My main goal is to have an official implementation within Pterodactyl Wings itself, as it would likely receive ongoing support and compatibility updates directly from the maintainers. However, I'd definitely be interested in an add-on if it provides the incremental backup functionality we need. Let me know if you proceed with it—I'd be happy to test or provide feedback!

[FischLord]

I really appreciate your initiative @LakshmiBhaskarPVL to create an add-on for incremental backups! If you’d like, feel free to assign me to your repository once you’ve started working on it—I’d be more than happy to assist with testing, feedback, or contributing where needed. Let me know how I can help!

[LakshmiBhaskarPVL]

ok ill start on it

[asineth0]

Restic would be a really good options here. It's fast, does incremental backups, and can backup locally or to S3, so it could be basically a drop-in replacement.

[snow-of-the-mountain]

Hopefully this doesn't become one of those expensive add-ons. Technically it shouldn't even be a add-on it should be fully integrated into the panel

[asineth0]

Hopefully this doesn't become one of those expensive add-ons. Technically it shouldn't even be a add-on it should be fully integrated into the panel

I run a fork of wings on my servers that already has this, maybe I'll send in some PRs. I'd rather give back to the community than sell some expensive addon.

[FischLord]

Thanks for chiming in, @asineth0 and @XxXBOBBY99ASXxX! I completely agree—incremental backups would be an excellent addition to Wings as a built-in feature rather than a paid add-on. My initial request was made with the hope of adding this functionality directly to the panel for all users to benefit from, especially given how essential backups are for server management.

@asineth0, it’s awesome to hear you’ve already implemented this in your Wings fork! If you’re considering submitting PRs, that would be an amazing way to give back to the community. Let me know if I can assist in any way!

[rowansc1]

@asineth0 This has been a long-awaited feature, so if you're comfortable with making a PR for it (no pressure of course) that would be fantastic :)

[LakshmiBhaskarPVL]

Hopefully this doesn't become one of those expensive add-ons. Technically it shouldn't even be a add-on it should be fully integrated into the panel

this will be free

[purejosh]

Is this on the roadmap for implementation? Incremental backups would be revolutionary to space utilization for our backup targets.

[FischLord]

Hi @purejosh I think this feature request might have gone unnoticed due to the amount of time since I first created it, but I’m still very interested in it. As you already mentioned, it would be a great and valuable improvement.