Data Persistence and Backups

Applies to: all AppWizzy hosted VM projects

AppWizzy VMs use an active disk. Files and databases on the active disk survive normal VM lifecycle operations.

AppWizzy creates at least one backup of each hosted VM system each day.

What persists

Data on the active disk survives these operations:

  • pause and resume.
  • VM or service restart.
  • CPU and RAM resize.

The selected template determines the data on the active disk. The active disk can contain:

  • application source code.
  • databases.
  • uploaded files and media.
  • configuration files and environment variables.
  • terminal files and shell history.
  • browser profiles and sessions.
  • locally installed packages and tools.
  • application logs and generated artifacts.

Data in memory and process state are not persistent. A pause or restart can remove unsaved work that exists only in RAM.

Daily backups

AppWizzy creates at least one backup of each hosted VM system each day. A system backup captures the active disk at a backup point.

AppWizzy can restore the system from this backup.

A restoration returns the state from the selected backup point. It can exclude work that you created or changed after that backup point.

Request a restoration

Contact AppWizzy support. Provide:

  • the AppWizzy account email.
  • the project name and URL.
  • what happened.
  • the approximate time of the last known good state.
  • whether you need the complete VM, a database, or particular files restored.

Do not include passwords, API keys, or other secrets in the initial support message. Support provides a secure method for required sensitive information.

A restoration of an earlier state can overwrite newer data. AppWizzy support confirms the restoration target before it starts the restoration.

A Git repository is not a complete system backup

Some App Generation projects also synchronize committed source code to Git. The Git repository can preserve committed code.

It does not preserve the complete VM.

A Git repository does not contain these items unless you explicitly commit them:

  • the application database.
  • uploaded files and media.
  • .env files and secrets.
  • uncommitted code changes.
  • installed system packages.
  • browser profiles or terminal state.
  • other files stored only on the VM disk.

Do not commit secrets. Do not use GitHub or the AppWizzy internal Git service as a substitute for a VM backup.

Keep independent exports of critical data

Daily system backups support restoration. Independent exports give you direct control of important business data and source code.

If the selected template supports export, regularly export:

  • application source code.
  • database dumps.
  • uploaded files.
  • configuration values needed to recreate the application.
  • provider credentials through the provider's own secure recovery process.

Do not put plaintext secrets in a source repository or an unencrypted archive.

Deletion is different from pause

A pause preserves the active disk. Deletion removes the VM and its active disk.

The AppWizzy deleted-data retention policy controls restoration after deletion. Normal pause and restart behavior does not control this restoration.

Read Project Deletion and Retention before you delete a project.