One thing I do is take nightly backups of the database server and all of the files. This is a guide to help you do the same.

Login into your AWS console. In the upper righthand corner click on “Security Credentials”

On the left side click on the Groups

Select “Create a New Group”

Give it a memorable name.

Set “Amazon S3 Full Access”

Next you will create a new user.

Download the credentials for the new user.

The contents of the file will look something like this:

Next add this user to the group you just created.

Next you have to create a bucket
Next you should edit the Lifecycle rules of your backups

One of the cool features of S3 is that you can retire backups. This is handy because Amazon charges you per MB. I keep my backups around for 30 days and then they disappear. If you want to save them for longer you may also retire them to Amazon Glacier where they charge much less for storage with the caveat that it will take a few hours to retrieve them.

Now you have everything in place to start backing up. Your first step is to grab a great set of tools to put files on S3 using only bash.

I put these files in /home/ec2-user/bin/ I also added the following script 

#!/bin/bash
NOWDATE=`date +%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M`
cd /home/ec2-user/bin/
/usr/bin/mysqldump -u root -pDB_PASSWORD --all-databases > all_db-$NOWDATE.sql
/bin/gzip all_db-$NOWDATE.sql
/home/dan/bin/s3-put -k 20_CHARACTER_STRING -s /home/ec2-user/bin/.robot-key -T all_db-$NOWDATE.sql.gz /robot-backups/all_db-$NOWDATE.sql.gz
/bin/rm all_db-$NOWDATE.sql.gz

/bin/tar czf all_sites-$NOWDATE.tgz /usr/local/www/*
/home/dan/bin/s3-put -k 20_CHARACTER_STRING -s /home/ec2-user/bin/.robot-key -T all_sites-$NOWDATE.tgz /robot-backups/all_sites-$NOWDATE.tgz
/bin/rm all_sites-$NOWDATE.tgz

The 20_CHARACER_STRING is the first string in the credentials you downloaded earlier. For the 40 character string put that into a file named .robot-key.

Don’t forget to chmod 700 on the your backup-file.

Test it once if you’ve its working you’ll see everything show up in your S3 bucket.

Now add a cron job to do it nightly. Run the command “crontab -e” and add the following line:
@daily /home/ec2-user/bin/backup.sh > /dev/null

This should run every night at midnight.

If I’ve missed anything please let me know in the comments.

Here’s what you do to use 1.7 run the following:
sudo rm /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
sudo ln -s /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.7.0_21.jdk/Contents/ /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK

To use 1.6 run the following:
sudo rm /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
sudo ln -s /System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk/Contents /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK

Note you may have to adjust for the exact version for example if you installed jdk1.7.0_12.jdk.

Here’s an example:
thor:~ dan$ sudo rm /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
thor:~ dan$ sudo ln -s /System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk/Contents /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
thor:~ dan$ java -version
java version "1.6.0_45"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_45-b06-451-11M4406)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.45-b01-451, mixed mode)
thor:~ dan$ sudo rm /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
thor:~ dan$ sudo ln -s /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.7.0_21.jdk/Contents/ /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
thor:~ dan$ java -version
java version "1.7.0_21"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_21-b12)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.21-b01, mixed mode)

First I need to point out that Java and JavaScript are VERY different. This exploit does not apply to JavaScript and disabling it in your browser will make surfing the web suck.

If you have no need for Java all together it wouldn’t hurt to uninstall it from your computer but there are a lot of popular applications that require Java to run. Adobe Illustrator requires Java, the wonderful alternative to Microsoft Office, Libre Office uses it.* As do many others.

If you want to take the less extreme route yet still be safe, you should disable Java in the browser (Comprehensive instructions from Oracle the makers of Java), this will mean that some sites and somethings will not work. This is usually okay though because Java in the browser, known formally as Applets, isn’t very popular anymore. Disabling Java in your browser will protect you from the hackers.

The last case is that you, do need Java Applets to be productive. Some VPNs and Video Conferencing applications require Java. If you fall into this category I suggest you download a separate browser that you use specifically for this purpose and use only for this purpose and enable Java in that browser. Opera is a free browser that you can use for this purpose.

To summarize

• Java and JavaScript are very different
• Disable Java in your browser
• If you need Java Applets use a specific browser with Java enabled only for sites that require it

This has been a PSA from Common Folk Collective.

*Seriously if you are using Open Office or considering buying MS Office you should check Libre Office out first

UPDATE: I heard a good way to explain Java v JavaScript. Java is JavaScript as Ham is to Hamster.