IMAP backup and restore

camner · 3 Jan 2010, 09:17 AM

There have been a lot of threads about backing up Fastmail accounts...not much about restoring...

I'm interested in protecting against my idiocy more than I am trying to protect against Fastmail going down...

Here's what I've learned, I think:

1. IMAPSize is mentioned often. However, it doesn't mirror what's on Fastmail...any changes (such as moving or deleting an email) on Fastmail are NOT reflected in the IMAPSize backup. It would be unbelievably painful to have to reconstruct my FM account from an IMAPSize backup.

2. Thunderbird's "offline" mode has been mentioned. That would mirror FM. BUT, if I idiotically delete emails or a folder, Thunderbird will dutifully mirror my idiocy! Not good!

I think what I'd love to find is a way of "snapshotting." In other words, work non-destructively the way IMAPSize does, but have the ability to say "take me back to the way FM was 3 weeks ago."

Anyone found a way to accomplish this?

n5bb · 3 Jan 2010, 02:42 PM

Fastmail beta login (http://www.fastmail.fm/beta) has a Restore from backup screen (in Options>Maintenance). This can restore any messages (or folders) you have purged (permanently deleted) within the past week. If you move messages between folders several times, it will save a copy for each of these moves, since move copies then purges the original message.

This can solve problems within the past week. If you performed a restore at least once a week and then transferred the restored folders to your PC, this would conceivably save everything possible. But this is overkill, in my opinion. I'm just happy to have one week of backup quickly available for free so that I can recover from any foolish thing I might do.

Rob Mueller told me he would try to document and publicize this new feature soon. It's still in beta, but I have tried it and it seems to work great!

Bill

jgoldberg · 3 Jan 2010, 03:05 PM

What I describe here is not for most people. But this is what I would do if I felt that I needed a back-up beyond what is on fastmail.

(1) Set up your own IMAP server locally (or where ever you want your back-ups)

(2) Use imapsync
http://freshmeat.net/projects/imapsync/
to maintain your local backup.

Note that running your own IMAP server is a substantial undertaking.

ChinaLamb · 5 Jan 2010, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camner

There have been a lot of threads about backing up Fastmail accounts...not much about restoring...

I'm interested in protecting against my idiocy more than I am trying to protect against Fastmail going down...

Here's what I've learned, I think:

1. IMAPSize is mentioned often. However, it doesn't mirror what's on Fastmail...any changes (such as moving or deleting an email) on Fastmail are NOT reflected in the IMAPSize backup. It would be unbelievably painful to have to reconstruct my FM account from an IMAPSize backup.

2. Thunderbird's "offline" mode has been mentioned. That would mirror FM. BUT, if I idiotically delete emails or a folder, Thunderbird will dutifully mirror my idiocy! Not good!

I think what I'd love to find is a way of "snapshotting." In other words, work non-destructively the way IMAPSize does, but have the ability to say "take me back to the way FM was 3 weeks ago."

Anyone found a way to accomplish this?

Run imapsize or mailstore daily and save to a daily incremental backup on a server or portable hard drive.

Which reminds me... Time to do another system backup...

**Shelded** · 7 Jan 2010, 01:39 PM

I like CL's idea.

Mine is not too different. I don't use OE at all except for backup purposes. Each time you synch OE (or TB) you get an opportunity to copy everything to DVD's or removable drives. If you choose to do it you are more worried than I am; it is sufficient to me to have periodic copies of OE and the Fastmail server backup. Restoring from OE is a piece of cake.

I think running a local IMAP server does nothing more for you than some of the other ideas; but you could use IMAPSIZE to routinely reload another IMAP server with a copy of everything.

I generally do not move things around after they arrive, other than to Trash them.

ChinaLamb · 10 Jan 2010, 08:56 AM

I just got through doing a backup using mailstore... Quite quick and easy to do. The files are compressed too, and it ends up being about half the size indicated in Fastmail.

Mailstore captures more data than ImapSize. Do people like imapsize because the data is stored as individual text files, and therefore is a more open system?

/cl

**Shelded** · 10 Jan 2010, 09:28 AM

Uh, can you restore via Mailstore? It's great for achival.

ChinaLamb · 10 Jan 2010, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shelded

Uh, can you restore via Mailstore? It's great for achival.

Looks like you can export a mailstore backup to an IMAP mailbox or: individual files, outlook, exchange, thunderbird, seamonkey, windows mail, an email address via smtp....

Seems much more user-friendly and developed than ImapSize. UI is much prettier too. Archived about 18000 messages very quickly. Connects via ssl...

/cl

ChinaLamb · 10 Jan 2010, 10:51 AM

((Had forgotten this thread was about restoring....

))

3 Jan 2010, 09:17 AM	#1
camner Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 642	IMAP backup and restore There have been a lot of threads about backing up Fastmail accounts...not much about restoring... I'm interested in protecting against my idiocy more than I am trying to protect against Fastmail going down... Here's what I've learned, I think: 1. IMAPSize is mentioned often. However, it doesn't mirror what's on Fastmail...any changes (such as moving or deleting an email) on Fastmail are NOT reflected in the IMAPSize backup. It would be unbelievably painful to have to reconstruct my FM account from an IMAPSize backup. 2. Thunderbird's "offline" mode has been mentioned. That would mirror FM. BUT, if I idiotically delete emails or a folder, Thunderbird will dutifully mirror my idiocy! Not good! I think what I'd love to find is a way of "snapshotting." In other words, work non-destructively the way IMAPSize does, but have the ability to say "take me back to the way FM was 3 weeks ago." Anyone found a way to accomplish this?

3 Jan 2010, 02:42 PM	#2
n5bb Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: May 2004 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 8,929	Beta Restore from backup to protect against user error Fastmail beta login (http://www.fastmail.fm/beta) has a Restore from backup screen (in Options>Maintenance). This can restore any messages (or folders) you have purged (permanently deleted) within the past week. If you move messages between folders several times, it will save a copy for each of these moves, since move copies then purges the original message. This can solve problems within the past week. If you performed a restore at least once a week and then transferred the restored folders to your PC, this would conceivably save everything possible. But this is overkill, in my opinion. I'm just happy to have one week of backup quickly available for free so that I can recover from any foolish thing I might do. Rob Mueller told me he would try to document and publicize this new feature soon. It's still in beta, but I have tried it and it seems to work great! Bill

3 Jan 2010, 03:05 PM	#3
jgoldberg Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Plano, Texas Posts: 88	What I describe here is not for most people. But this is what I would do if I felt that I needed a back-up beyond what is on fastmail. (1) Set up your own IMAP server locally (or where ever you want your back-ups) (2) Use imapsync http://freshmeat.net/projects/imapsync/ to maintain your local backup. Note that running your own IMAP server is a substantial undertaking.

7 Jan 2010, 01:39 PM	#5
Shelded Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USA Northwest Posts: 3,849	I like CL's idea. Mine is not too different. I don't use OE at all except for backup purposes. Each time you synch OE (or TB) you get an opportunity to copy everything to DVD's or removable drives. If you choose to do it you are more worried than I am; it is sufficient to me to have periodic copies of OE and the Fastmail server backup. Restoring from OE is a piece of cake. I think running a local IMAP server does nothing more for you than some of the other ideas; but you could use IMAPSIZE to routinely reload another IMAP server with a copy of everything. I generally do not move things around after they arrive, other than to Trash them.

10 Jan 2010, 08:56 AM	#6
ChinaLamb The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: a virtually impossible but finitely improbable position Posts: 2,320	I just got through doing a backup using mailstore... Quite quick and easy to do. The files are compressed too, and it ends up being about half the size indicated in Fastmail. Mailstore captures more data than ImapSize. Do people like imapsize because the data is stored as individual text files, and therefore is a more open system? /cl

10 Jan 2010, 09:28 AM	#7
Shelded Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USA Northwest Posts: 3,849	Uh, can you restore via Mailstore? It's great for achival.

10 Jan 2010, 10:51 AM	#9
ChinaLamb The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: a virtually impossible but finitely improbable position Posts: 2,320	((Had forgotten this thread was about restoring.... ))