SFTP Storage Plugin for VitoDeploy

A VitoDeploy 3.x plugin that adds SFTP as a storage provider for database and file backups.

Features

• Upload: Store database and file backups on remote SFTP servers
• Download: Restore backups from SFTP storage
• Delete: Automatic cleanup of old backups based on retention settings
• Authentication: Supports both password and SSH private key authentication
• Connection Test: Validates credentials and write permissions on setup

Requirements

• VitoDeploy 3.x
• PHP 8.2+
• PHP SSH2 extension on target servers (auto-installed if missing)

Installation

1. Copy the plugin to your VitoDeploy plugins directory:

   app/Vito/Plugins/NClouds/SftpStoragePlugin/
   

2. Enable the plugin in Admin → Plugins

3. Create a new storage provider in Settings → Storage Providers and select SFTP

Configuration

Field	Required	Description
Host	Yes	SFTP server hostname or IP address
Port	Yes	SFTP port (default: 22)
Username	Yes	SFTP username
Password	No	SFTP password (leave empty for key-based auth)
Private Key	No	PEM-formatted SSH private key
Remote Path	Yes	Base directory for backups (e.g., /backups)

Note: Either Password or Private Key must be provided.

How It Works

Backup Storage Structure

Backups are stored in the following structure:

/remote-path/database-name/backup-name-timestamp.zip     (database backups)
/remote-path/site-name/backup-name-timestamp.tar.gz      (file backups)

Operations

Operation	Description
Upload	Executed via SSH on the worker server using PHP's ssh2 extension. Creates remote directories automatically.
Download	Retrieves backup files from SFTP server to the worker server for restoration.
Delete	Removes backup files from SFTP storage when retention limits are exceeded or manual deletion is triggered.

Technical Note

This plugin registers with the provider ID ftp to leverage VitoDeploy's built-in path resolution. This ensures correct path generation for all backup operations without requiring core modifications.

Important: This plugin replaces the default FTP storage provider. If you need both FTP and SFTP storage simultaneously, this plugin cannot be used.

Authentication

Password Authentication

Enter username and password in the configuration form.

SSH Key Authentication

1. Leave the password field empty
2. Paste your PEM-formatted private key in the "Private Key" field
3. Supported formats: RSA, DSA, ECDSA, Ed25519

SSH key authentication is preferred when both password and key are provided.

Connection Test

When saving storage provider credentials, the plugin automatically:

1. Connects to the SFTP server
2. Verifies or creates the remote path
3. Performs a write test (creates and deletes a temporary file)

If any step fails, a clear error message is shown and the credentials are not saved.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Connection Failed	Verify hostname, port, and firewall rules
Authentication Failed	Check username, password, or private key format
Upload/Download Failed	Verify remote path exists and user has write permissions
Permission Denied	Check directory ownership and permissions on SFTP server

License

MIT