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In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to backup and restore Jenkins using the Thin Backup plugin. With Thin Backup, you can schedule automated backups, keep only the most recent snapshots, and exclude unnecessary files to optimize storage.

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Table of Contents

  1. Install and Configure Thin Backup
  2. Perform a Manual Backup
  3. Restore from Backup
  4. Exclude Build Results

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1. Install and Configure Thin Backup

  1. Navigate to Manage Jenkins > Manage Plugins, switch to the Available tab, and install Thin Backup.
  2. Once installed, go to Manage Jenkins > Configure System and scroll to the ThinBackup section.
The image shows a webpage for the Jenkins plugin "ThinBackup," detailing its features, version information, and documentation links. It includes statistics on installations and links to related resources.

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Configure Backup Settings

SettingDescription
Backup Directory/var/lib/jenkins/JENKINS_BACKUP (created automatically if missing)
ScheduleCron expressions for periodic backups
Differential BackupEnable to back up only changed data
Max Backup SetsRetain the latest N backups
Exclude PatternsRegex for files/folders to skip
Archive as ZIPCompress backup folders
Include Build ArchivesOptionally include full build artifacts
The Backup Directory path must be writable by the Jenkins user. Ensure adequate disk space before scheduling large backups.
The image shows a Jenkins system configuration page with options for backup settings and Git plugin configurations. Various checkboxes and input fields are available for customizing backup and Git settings.
Click Apply to save your configuration.

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2. Perform a Manual Backup

  1. Go to Manage Jenkins > ThinBackup.
  2. Click Backup Now.
To monitor progress, open Manage Jenkins > System Log > All Jenkins Logs. You should see entries like: 
Nov 10, 2024 2:26:50 PM INFO jenkins.WebAppMain contextInitialized
Jenkins home directory: /var/lib/jenkins
Nov 10, 2024 2:26:51 PM INFO jenkins.InitReactorRunner$1 onAttained
Starting manual backup...
Nov 10, 2024 2:26:51 PM INFO jenkins.plugin.ThinBackup doBackup
No previous full backup found. Creating new full backup.
Found 16 jobs to backup.
Backing up job: example-job
Backing up folder job: org-folder/jobType
Backup process completed successfully.
The image shows a Jenkins system log with details about plugin initialization and a backup process, indicating successful completion.
Verify the backup files on your server: 
ssh root@jenkins-controller-1
cd /var/lib/jenkins/JENKINS_BACKUP
ls
cd FULL-2024-11-10_16-37
ls
# audit-trail.xml
# backup-completed.info
# com.cloudbees.hudson.plugins.folder.config.AbstractFolderConfiguration.xml
# … 
# jenkins.model.JenkinsLocationConfiguration.xml

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3. Restore from Backup

  1. Delete a test job (e.g., Monitor Jenkins) to simulate data loss.
  2. In Manage Jenkins > ThinBackup, click Restore.
  3. Select the desired backup set (e.g., FULL-2024-11-10_16-37) and confirm Restore.
  4. Restart Jenkins to apply restored configurations.
After restart, the deleted job and its build history will reappear on the dashboard. 
pipeline {
    agent any
    stages {
        stage('Hello') {
            steps {
                echo 'Hello World'
            }
        }
    }
}
Restoring a backup overwrites your current Jenkins configuration. Always confirm you’re using the correct backup set.

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4. Exclude Build Results

If you only need job configurations (not build artifacts), disable Include build results in the Thin Backup settings. This reduces backup size and speeds up the process.
The image shows a Jenkins system configuration page, specifically focusing on the "Global Untrusted Pipeline Libraries" and "ThinBackup Configuration" sections, where backup directories and schedules can be set.
That’s it! You now know how to back up and restore your Jenkins instance efficiently using the Thin Backup plugin.

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