Automate backups for Jira and Confluence Cloud

Summary

Atlassian Cloud products don't automatically back up data. You can back up data (excluding attachments) anytime. Backups with attachments require 48 hours between each backup.

Solution

Automate Cloud backups using Automation

Automation in Jira and Confluence Cloud can help you automate your cloud site backups without requiring custom scripts or programming experience.

This workaround makes use of the Send web request automation action along with an API key generated by a Jira and/or Confluence administrator.

Create and encode the API token

1. Create an API token using your site-admin account at https://id.atlassian.com/manage/api-tokens

2. Encode your credentials "$EMAIL_ADDRESS:$API_TOKEN" using base64

   1. Consider using an online tool like Base64 Encode

Make sure not to include a line break at the end of your API string.

base64 encoding example

Create an automation rule for Confluence backup

Although you can start with either Jira or Confluence, we'll look into how to configure a rule for Confluence first.

Please refer to Create automation rules in Confluence for basic instructions on Confluence automation.

Step 1: Set up the schedule

1. Add the content below to Cron expression

2. For When rule executes, select "simply run the conditions and actions without providing issues"

Step 2: Add an action - Send web requests

1. Webhook URL: {{baseUrl}}/wiki/rest/obm/1.0/runbackup

2. Headers: Authorization: Basic <The base64 encoded output we got above>

3. Add another action - Log action

   1. To be able to keep track of what we got with the webhook request, specify {{webhookResponse}} in Log message

4. Name the rule "Site backup - Confluence Cloud" and save the setting

5. Do a test run with [Run rule] button

   1. The log then will be available in the Audit log

6. Check the backup download link

Cron expression

Each backup should be performed after a 48-hour interval at least. We are going to schedule the execution twice a week on Monday and Thursday. Also, make sure to avoid maintenance windows for your site.

For example, suppose your Cloud site maintenance is based on EST. We'll want to specify 9 am in UTC:

Webhook body

Create a rule for Jira site backup

In Jira, there are only a few details different from Confluence. Please refer to our documentation Create and edit Jira automation rules for basic Automation instructions.

1. Schedule - same as our Confluence example

2. Action - Send web request

   1. Webhook URL: {{baseUrl}}/rest/backup/1/export/runbackup

3. Remaining procedures - same as our Confluence example

You can also find more detailed steps on how to perform this action on the following Community article:

• Automation for Jira - Send web request using Jira REST API

Cron expression

Same here, the backup will run on Monday and Thursday at 9 am in UTC:

Webhook body

A few things to be aware of

• Jira has an upper bound on rule executions per subscription plan

  • That means you will not get a backup if exceed the limit. So consider upgrading to Premium, especially if you already have a respectable number of existing global automation rules.

• The backup link will be available for 14 days for Jira and 7 days for Confluence

  • The link then will be replaced by the subsequent one. That means you will only be able to retrieve the backup file until the next backup ends. So make sure to download the backup file as soon as you find any data loss; otherwise, the backup link will be replaced with the one taken after the data loss.

• For those using IP Allowlisting, include the egress IP ranges introduced at IP addresses and domains for Atlassian cloud products #Outgoing Connections