When you install Nexus, you'll end up with two directories:
nexus-webapp-1.3.1.1/
sonatype-work/
We've separated the application from the data and configuration. The Nexus application is in nexus-webapp-1.3.1.1/ and the data and configuration is in sonatype-work/nexus. This was mainly done to facilitate easier upgrades, but it also has the side-effect of making it very easy to backup a Nexus installation.
The Simple Answer
Nexus doesn't store repositories in a database or do anything that would preclude a simple backup of the file system under sonatype-work/nexus. If you need to create a complete backup, just archive the contents of the sonatype-work/nexus.
Better Answer
If you want a more intelligent approach to backing up a Nexus installation, you will certainly want to backup everything under sonatype-work/nexus/conf, sonatype-work/nexus/storage, sonatype-work/nexus/template-store. If you want to backup the metadata and file attributes that Nexus keeps for proxy repository, backup sonatype-work/nexus/proxy, although this isn't required as the information about the proxy repository will be generated on-demand as attributes are requested.
You don't need to backup sonatype-work/nexus/logs and you don't need to backup the Lucene indexes in sonatype-work/nexus/indexer.
Nexus Pro Answer
There is a Nexus Professional plugin which can automate the process of creating a backup of the Nexus configuration data. This plugin is going to address the contents of the sonatype-work/nexus/conf directory. If you need to backup the sonatype-work/nexus/storage directory, you will need to configure some backup system to backup the contents of that filesystem. Once again,
answered 2009-04-02T19:18:12.703