Back up your backup for WordPress disaster recovery
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The idea of a disaster recovery plan for your website appears to be a perfectly reasonable safety net until the net is destroyed by the stress. Just ask GitLab. In 2017, the renowned code repository platform was hit by the catastrophic loss of data after an engineer mistakenly erased 300GB of live database data.
What's the worst thing? The backups GitLab was hoping might save the day turned out to be insufficient, leaving the company with a six-hour-old snapshot as the only alternative. Six hours of gap can result in a significant amount of lost data, especially in a company as well-known as GitLab.
While it took place years long ago, this event is an unsettling reminder of the things that could happen. Even the most well-planned disaster recovery plan can go wrong in the event that they're not backup and tested rigorously.
This cautionary tale is especially relevant for WordPress site owners. A backup plan alone isn't enough. Backups require their own backup. As GitLab realized, human error, misconfigurations, or even a small mistake can result in massive data loss when you rely on just one backup.
Today, we're going to discuss why you need to back up your backups and how can help you with this necessary redundancy.
Let's go!
The reasons why you should consider having a disaster recovery plan
Before we get into the reasons the importance of it, let's define it: a disaster recovery plan can be described as insurance for your website. We hope that you don't have to make use of it, but if disaster strikes, it's essential. It outlines the actions you must take to speedily restore your operations following an unplanned event such as the cyberattack, or even a human error.
But why is it so important?
Consider that: 96% of companies had at most one downtime over the last three years, with many having multiple outages. The price of downtime could be staggering, with an average of $1,410 per minute according to the 2022 data Protection Trends Report published by Veeam. It can be devastating for small companies which can result in significant revenue loss, customer dissatisfaction as well as a lasting damage to your brand's reputation.
Having a solid plan means you're prepared for anything. And the peace of mind that it provides is priceless, having the confidence that, no matter what happens it's possible to follow a road for recovery.
What are the elements to be included in a disaster recovery plan
A disaster recovery plan doesn't simply consist of a checklist that you must follow. It's an entire strategy that serves as a guide when faced with a crisis.
This is what you need to be sure to include to ensure that your plan is comprehensive and effective:
A strong backup strategy
An effective backup plan is the core of every disaster recovery plan. Recovery efforts are in danger in the absence of solid backups.
Here's a brief overview of the best ways to make sure your backups will be ready and ready should you need they do need to be. Your plan must include "what," "when," and "how:"
1. Know what to back up
Backup the customer's data, transaction records, website content, databases, and the settings of your site's system. Everything you need to function.
To ensure complete protection to ensure total protection, think about the protection of both static data (like storage files) and dynamic data (like ongoing transactions). A tiered approach could be beneficial, too backup important data regularly andstore it at multiple places. More on that below.
2. Be aware of when you should back up
Your backup frequency will depend on how frequently your data changes. On most sites, every day backups are recommended.
However, if you have data that changes often, you may require hourly or real-time backups. So, you reduce data loss and protect your current modifications.
3. Know how to back up
However local backups that are stored on physical devices provide rapid access. offers both options, including cloud backups and downloadable backups. These allow you to keep copies offline for added security.
Additionally, you can take machine-level snapshots which record all the status of your server. These snapshots enable a complete restoration should it be required.
Specific recovery methods
In the event of a disaster, having a clear, step-by-step recovery process can help a lot. So, everyone is aware of what to do when they discover the problem.
Your plan should outline the specific steps to recover from different circumstances, like an attack from cyberspace, a hardware malfunction, or a human error. This includes retrieving backups, resetting systems, as well as ensuring that the system functions in a correct manner after restore.
For example, after restoring to a backup, you might need to run test transactions or verify that all website features work properly.
Time is critical during a disaster, so the assignment of certain roles and responsibilities the team members will help in reducing time spent. Your plan should clearly define who is responsible for each task, from initiating the recovery process, to communicating with team members, to managing technical issues like data restoration.
features that support your disaster recovery strategy
Having the right tools on your side can make the execution of your disaster recovery plan much easier. offers several features that can support your strategy with a unified approach such as:
- Level-of-the-machine snapshots: If you're looking for extra security, also offers the ability to take snapshots at the machine level. These snapshots are taken every four hours (and last for up to 24 hours) and record the complete state of your server, comprising the operating system, its configurations, and installed applications. It allows a full system restoration, which can be very beneficial in case of a major system failure or cyberattack.
Different ways to back up to your backup (and their pros and cons)
We've already established that just one backup may not be sufficient. Some issues can jeopardize your backups if they're not maintained properly. That's why considering different ways to backup is beneficial and why you should have multiple options running at the same time.
Below are the most commonly used strategies, as well as their pros and cons:
Cloud-based backups
Pros:
- Accessibility: One significant advantage for cloud-based backups is the fact that they are accessible anytime, from any location. Data is accessible so it is connected to Internet access.
- Security: Cloud services typically provide excellent security features, such as regular security audits and encryption to safeguard data from unauthorised access.
- Scalability When your information grows, cloud-based solutions can quickly scale up to accommodate additional storage.
Cons:
- Dependence on the Internet: Cloud-based backups rely entirely on internet connectivity. If you're located where internet access is poor or is experiencing an outage accessing your backups may be difficult.
- Costs to consider: While cloud storage may be inexpensive, costs can add up in the event that you need to add extra storage or options. Long-term storage can become expensive, especially for large volumes of files.
Local backups
Pros:
- Instant access local backups like those stored in external hard drives or local servers, give fast and convenient access, without the requirement for Internet access.
- No reliance on the Internet As local backups don't depend upon Internet connectivity, they are able to be downloaded even when the Internet is unavailable.
Cons:
- Physical risk Backups that are local to the computer are susceptible to physical risk such as theft, fire or even hardware failure. If something occurs on the physical site of your backups, you could be unable to access your backup information.
- Limited portability: Unlike cloud-based backups and local backups tend to be less portable and difficult to access remotely.
External backups
Pros:
- Offsite protection Backups that are external, like those stored in a other physical location, or by using offsite storage, offer additional security.
- Lower risk of simultaneous data loss Backups stored externally ensures that even if your primary storage location becomes compromised, your data remains secure elsewhere.
Cons:
- Additional management Manage backups from external sources can take more effort, especially in the case of physical storage media. You need to ensure that backups are regularly updated and safely stored.
- Potential costs: External backup solutions, whether for secure storage services or the transport of data physically, may incur additional costs.
The reasons to choose WordPress hosting that is secure and backups is crucial.
Running on a WordPress site comes with the potential for risk. Therefore, security for your site should be the top concern. Because WordPress is one of the most popular platforms, it's often a prime target for cyberattacks. In the absence of security precautions, your site could be at risk of data breach and threats, including:
- Server issues: Physical server issues caused by hardware failure or natural disasters, can result in significant data loss if not properly managed with backups.
In light of these threats Given these risks, choosing an WordPress hosting provider with strong security options is crucial. This can help safeguard your site from the most common security vulnerabilities and ensure that, if something occurs to happen to your site, you can quickly recover.
provides a variety of security options created to make sure that your WordPress site safe, secure and operating properly such as:
- 24/7 support Support is available 24/7 The team at's disposal is ready to assist you with security problems, no matter if it's an issue with a server or hack problem.
These features work together to create a secure framework that reduces the risk of data loss and interruptions.
What is the best way to choose a hosting provider that protects you from all angles
The right WordPress hosting provider is not selecting a suitable location to host your site. The hosting will ensure that your site is safe, secure and able to bounce around quickly in the event of any problems. Selecting the right hosting can provide you with this type of security.
There are several characteristics you should look out for when choosing a hosting company you're looking at:
1. Frequent, reliable backups
Your host should be able to provide regularly scheduled and stable backups in the form of a standard service. Daily backups are a must, but the best companies offer more frequently backups for those critical moments when you can't afford losing any information. Backups must be automated so you don't have to remember to do them manually. They can be restored easily during an situation of emergency.
2. Comprehensive recovery options
It's fine to have backups, but you must be able to restore from them quickly and easily. Choose a web hosting provider that has the option of restoring with one click, multiple backup storage locations (including offsite) as well as the capability for downloading backups. It will give you multiple ways to get your site functioning again.
3. DDoS protection, SSL support, and active monitoring
Security features are non-negotiable. The hosting service you select should offer DDoS security to protect against malicious traffic, SSL support to encrypt data, and regular monitoring of issues before they escalate.
4. Around-the-clock expert support
With the most efficient hosting configuration, problems can occur. If you encounter them, you need to be sure that you have experts available to assist regardless of what the time. Choose a host that has 24-hour support. Ideally, they will have WordPress specialists who are able to handle the particular challenges associated with the platform.
fulfills this need, too, with your site, the team is ready to assist at any hour.
Summary
Backing up your disaster recovery plan is vital for every WordPress website. Having a plan in place is just the beginning but it must also be able to withstand the elements and have redundant systems constructed around it in order to guarantee the security of your site.
From creating a complete backup plan, to documenting how to recover, and utilizing appropriate hosting options Each component plays an important role to ensure your website is secure and accessible - even when faced with unpredictable interruptions.
When you think about protecting your WordPress website, keep in mind that choosing the right hosting service could make a huge difference. It offers top security options, robust backups and expert assistance that your disaster recovery strategy needs to be successful.
Jeremy Holcombe
Senior Editor at , WordPress Web Developer as well as Content Writer. In addition to all things WordPress I like golf, the beach, and movies. Also, I have height difficulties.