Backups: the one question to ask your web company

Everyone says they have backups. The question that gets a useful answer is: when did you last restore one, and how long did it take?
What a real backup looks like
- Taken automatically, at least daily.
- Stored somewhere other than the server it backs up.
- Kept for long enough to go back past the point a problem was noticed.
- Tested by actually restoring it, on a schedule.
Why the last point matters
A backup that has never been restored is a hope, not a plan. Corrupt files, missing databases and wrong permissions only show up when you try.
What we do
Daily backups, kept for thirty days, stored separately from the live site, and a restore test every quarter. If a site we manage is ever lost, it is back within hours, not days.
Want a hand with this?
Send a few lines and you get a plain answer within two working days.
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