Licenses are what allow your PluginBuddy plugins to be automatically updated.

That way, you can avoid manually downloading a plugin, manually uploading it, and manually updating it. A 5-10 minutes and dozens of clicks process gets changed, thanks to licenses, to a simple 10 second one click process.

While your PluginBuddy plugins will run indefinitely even after your licenses expire, licenses allow you to keep everything up to date and safe with the greatest features possible.

I run into many Licensing questions regularly, and thus wanted to share a simple video on how you can use PluginBuddy License Manager to generate/use licenses.

If you run into any Licensing issues, please check out the PluginBuddy Licenses Codex for more info.

For any specific questions related to your own specific plugins and licenses, you can post them in the Licensing Forum.

Thanks!

BackupBuddy 3.0 Beta is rolling out very soon - are you prepared?

BackupBuddy 3.0is almost here – soon we’ll send the 3.0 Beta test version to many of you (who’ve requested it) so that you can help us test it.

Test it, backup with it, import with it, restore with it, break it, and more: please try everything and anything you wish, and let us know what you find.

Here are 6 things you should remember when you get BackupBuddy 3.0 Beta:

6 Important Things to Realize when Testing BackupBuddy 3.0 Beta

1. Make Full and DB Only backups with BackupBuddy 2.2.35. Even though BackupBuddy 3.0 Beta is rock solid, be sure to make full backups and DB only backups (both) with the last stable version, 2.2.35, which is available in your Member’s panel.Since the “Beta” word is involved, something may go wrong at any time.
2. Make Full and DB Only backups with BackupBuddy 3.0 Beta. Make all backups with BackupBuddy 3.0 – both for testing and for safekeeping.
3. Post all findings in the support forums. We need your help to collect all the feedback for 3.0 . Post all BackupBuddy 3.0 testing feedback in the BackupBuddy forums.If possible, please begin all your posts titles with the words “[3.0 BB Feedback]“, like “[3.0 BB Feedback] Import Timeout“
4. Remember to revert back – since it’s a Beta! While you can optionally use BackupBuddy 3.0 Beta in live sites, you should have backups to go back to in case of any issues.Remember: since it’s “beta”, if you run into any issues, we won’t be able to fix them immediately and will recommend that you use the 2.2.35 version instead if you’re stuck.
5. Multisite Beta support We started offering beta support for Multisites last year, and the tradition continues with 3.0 . BackupBuddy 3.0 Beta contains massive Multisite feature enhancements. While the Beta label is still there for Multisite support in BackupBuddy, we’re very close to removing the “beta” label from Multisite support.Please post all Multisite Beta feedback in the Multisite forums. Title all your posts with the beginning words “[3.0 MS Feedback]“, like “[3.0 MS Feedback] – User roles disappeared.“
6. Separate feedback posts from support posts with the “[3.0 BB/MS Feedback]” titles. Please be sure to put “[3.0 BB Feedback]” or “[3.0 BB Feedback]” in the titles of any posts on the forums which are related to BackupBuddy 3.0 Beta.

Are You Ready for BackupBuddy 3.0?

BackupBuddy 3.0 Beta should be available soon. We’ll be contacting those of you who have requested to help test the new Beta version.

Remember please: do not use the 3.0 beta on any live site unless you have a full backup that you can revert to. Until BackupBuddy 3.0 Beta goes out of the Beta stage (or any specific feature, like the Multisite Beta), we’ll work hard to fix any issues you may encounter while advising you to use 2.2.35 if you need an immediate fix.

Let us know of any bugs, visual inconsistencies, and other things that you find. Thanks!

Bes Zain here, with a very special post: a list of some of the BackupBuddy 3.0 Features List.

With BackupBuddy 3.0 on the horizon, it’s great to know that an even better tool for your sites is coming out soon.

We have been getting a ton of user requests asking for more information about BackupBuddy 3.0 . Here it is!

Check out some of the BackupBuddy 3.0 features to see how your backups are about to be revolutionized forever:

Some BackupBuddy 3.0 Features

1. Magic Migration

   Migrate entire sites without ever leaving your dashboard.

2. Replace Hard-Coded Links

   Everything you have, or a plugin has, hard-coded into any file can now be changed with BackupBuddy.

3. Command Line Database Backups

   Now you can backup database via command line also! Great for older or overloaded servers.

4. Backup Statistics

   How long are your backups taking? How big is your database? How long does writing an actual zip file take? BackupBuddy 3.0 has actual statistics, allowing you to ask your host when some things are taking longer than usual to complete or start.

5. Extensive Multisite Support

   All the BackupBuddy Multisite Beta features are more polished now.

6. Extensive Multisite Logging

   Remember the days (including today) when performing some BackupBuddy operations on Multisites left you in the dark in terms of finding out what happened, in case of any issues? Those days will be long gone with BackupBuddy 3.0 .

7. RepairBuddy

   Yep, RepairBuddy is getting even stronger and stable. You’ll be able to fix common site problems and perform advanced database text replacement also.

8. New Framework

   A completely rewritten framework means BackupBuddy will be faster, more efficient, and less intensive on server resources.

9. Extensive Troubleshooting Logging Everywhere

   BackupBuddy 3.0 has extensive logging everywhere to help you troubleshoot any step you take. So if you get stuck somewhere, there’s a log on your BackupBuddy that will tell you what happened, and where.

What do you think?

What do you think of the BackupBuddy 3.0 features? Which feature are you looking forward to? Which feature are you most excited about?

Share your comments or questions below!

Bes Zain here with the video recap of our awesome Getting Started with BackupBuddy Webinar from yesterday.

We had a ton of questions, and we dived a lot into the question of web hosts also (great hosts vs bad hosts).

You can see and hear the entire discussion in the video.

Be sure to see the upcoming iThemes.tv schedule for my future webinars.

Have you started using BackupBuddy yet?

What do you think of BackupBuddy? Have you started using it yet? Do you have any questions about any specific part of yesterday’s webinar?

Please share your questions or comments below, thanks!

WordPress has a detailed explanation of what a Multisite Network is. I recommend you read that in detail please.

I see hundreds of awesome folks each month getting confused by Multisite and other related terms, in BackupBuddy in particular and in WordPress in general.

Here is a small effort to hopefully get that trend slowed down.

14 BackupBuddy and Multisite Terms You Should Know

Here is a list of what I think you should know before you do anything related to Multisites. Understand everything from the following list, and you’ll be good to go!

1. Multisite

   A Multisite allows you to have a network of sites in one single WordPress installation.

2. Network Domain/Site (Top Domain/Site)

   The top site in the Multisite, where you originally installed and setup the WordPress Multisite, is what is referred to as the Network Domain, Network Site, or Top Domain or Top Site.

3. Sub-site

   A sub-site is one of the sites inside the Multisite Network.

4. Single site

   A single site is either one single site inside the Multisite OR a site outside of a Multisite. It is usually used to refer to a non-Multisite site.

5. BackupBuddy Import

   In BackupBuddy Multisite, Import allows you to bring in (import) one single site into the existing Multisite.

6. Export

   In BackupBuddy Multisite, Export allows you to make a backup of one sub-site from the Multisite.

7. Network Admin

   Network Admin is the user account which has the power to go into any site in the Multisite, add plugins, upload themes, etc.

8. Site Admin

   Site Admin is the user who has power to be the admin to one specific site in the Multisite. They can add posts, add users, and other things, though they cannot upload plugins, they cannot upload themes, and they cannot add more sites to the Multisite.

9. Network Admin Area

   This is the Admin Area, accessible only by Network Admins, where you can add new sites, upload plugins, upload themes.

10. Site Admin Area

    This is the site-specific area where you have the tools to manage that specific single site. Not seeing the menu to upload plugins or themes, nor the menu to add sites, is a giveaway that you’re in the Site Admin area.

11. Migrate a Multisite

    This moves an entire Multisite, with all its subsites, from one location to another.

12. Migrate a single site (or sub-site) from a Multisite

    This is the process of moving one sub-site out of a Multisite and then migrate it elsewhere.

13. Restore a Multisite

    This is the process of restoring an entire Multisite, with all its sub-sites, to its original location.

14. Restore a Single Site

    This is the process of bringing back a single site to its original location. This can be on its own, or back into a Multisite (where it will be a sub-site).

Which terms did you know about?

From the above list, which terms did you already know about? Which terms did you not know about?

The next best question: what did I miss? What am I misunderstanding? Do you have any recommendations or terms related to the above?

Please let me know in the comments below. Thanks!

LoopBuddy can be a little intimidating to the brand new user, but this webinar breaks it down with an easy-to-follow explanation and demonstration of how to work with the query editor, layout editor, widgets and shortcodes.

Check out all the WordPress and web design training webinars at WebDesign.com.

Following that comparison, we focused on how developers and web designers can use BackupBuddy to build their business and generate recurring streams of revenue. In this replay of the video you’ll learn about how to sell “Peace of Mind” and “Security Assurance” packages to your clients, what the packages can include, as well as what you can reasonably charge for these services. It’s more than you think.

Watch the video to learn more.
The BackupBuddy section starts at the 12:45 mark.

Please note, we have extended the PALOOZA35 coupon mentioned in this video through Friday, April 6, 2012 at midnight central time. This will save you 35% off the PluginBuddy Developer Suite, the WebDesign.com Premium Annual Membership, or the Web Designer’s ToolKit. But only through April 6, 2012.

What new ideas has this WordPress training given you about using BackupBuddy or services you can provide? Share in the comments below.

The DisplayBuddy Suite contains 10 plugins to power-up the visual impact of your WordPress website.

When you watch the replay from Session 1 of the Plugin Palooza not only will you learn the basics, you’ll also gain tips on how to move the navigation arrows in Carousel, how to create your own custom layouts in Featured Posts, modify Slides, cool things you can do with Tipsy, and a whole host of other tricks.

(The first ~12 minutes is the overview and logistics for the event itself. The first teaching session begins at the 11:50 mark.)

Stay tuned for the next three session replays addressing BackupBuddy, EmailBuddy, and LoopBuddy. We’ll get them posted as quickly as we can!

Don’t have DisplayBuddy yet? Get it here, or get the PluginBuddy Developer Suite (best deal).

Bes Zain here with the awesome record-breaking webinar we did last week showing you some of the upcoming BackupBuddy 3.0 features.

BackupBuddy 3.0 is the biggest update since, well, BackupBuddy was created. It also is the most powerful and feature-set backup solution out there for WordPress enabled sites.

With hundreds of brand new features and game-changing tools to help you backup and move your sites in the easiest and most powerful fashion, BackupBuddy 3.0 will be the only plugin you’ll rely on to ensure your site is safely backed up regularly.

BackupBuddy 3.0 Sneak Peak Webinar – March 26th, 2012

Here is the BackupBuddy 3.0 webinar:

Stay tuned – a detailed part of features list is going to be published on this blog soon!

What do you think of BackupBuddy 3.0?

What do you think of the upcoming 3.0 features in BackupBuddy? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Thank you for using and being interested in BackupBuddy!

This 16 hours of online training, hosted by Benjamin Bradley from WebDesign.com, is free for the public to attend live.

This power-packed, online workshop will cover some of the hottest plugins from PluginBuddy, plus how to write your own custom client plugin! You’ll also learn about other critical premium and free plugins all developers should know about. Plus there will be time for Q&A with Dustin Bolton, lead PluginBuddy developer, and other members of the PluginBuddy team.

Check out the full schedule below, then

reserve your seat for Friday, March 30, 8:30am-5pm Central Time:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/766256522

and reserve your seat for Saturday, March 31, 8:30am-5pm Central Time:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/334879082

If you can’t make the live version, recordings of the first four sessions will be made available here on the PluginBuddy blog…and the full set of recordings will be in the WebDesign.com training library.

Here’s the full schedule:

Friday – March 30th
8:30am – 10:00am – – DisplayBuddy 1-2-3: Configuration, Customization, Enhancement
10:15am – 11:00am – – BackupBuddy is Money in the Bank (using BUB for improving your companies bottom line)
11:15am – Noon – – Communicate Efficiently and Effectively with EmailBuddy
Noon – 1:30pm – – LUNCH
1:30pm – 2:30pm – – Maximize the Flexibility of your Site with LoopBuddy
2:45pm – 4:00pm – – Writing your own LoopBuddy Functions
4:15pm – 5:00pm – – Q & A with Dustin Bolton and PluginBuddy Team

Saturday – March 31st
8:30am – 10:00am – – Mobilize Websites for Financial Profit
10:15am – 11:00am – – Top Premium Plugins every developer must own
11:15am – Noon – – Top Free Plugins every developer should know about
Noon – 1:30pm – – LUNCH
1:30pm – 2:30pm – – Writing your own Custom Client Plugin
2:45pm – 4:00pm – – jQuery is your super-powered friend: Writing jQuery Code
4:15pm – 5:00pm – – Summary and Weekend Takeaways

Reserve your seat for Friday, March 30, 8:30am-5pm Central Time:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/766256522

Reserve your seat for Saturday, March 31, 8:30am-5pm Central Time:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/334879082