A backup plan answers four questions: what is being saved, how much recent work can be lost, how quickly the site needs to return, and who can access the recovery copy. This checklist focuses on choosing that plan. The separate restore-drill guide walks through testing a saved copy in a safe environment.
Write a complete inventory
For a database-backed content site, list application files, uploaded media, the database and private configuration. Mark which items change frequently. A database export may contain the newest articles but not the corresponding images; a file copy may contain images but omit contact submissions. Record the software or runtime needed to read the backup. Store secrets securely outside public directories, and limit access to exports containing visitor information.
Set a recovery target with an example
Suppose a small brochure site is edited every Friday and receives enquiries in its database every day. A weekly content backup may cover the page edits but could lose several days of enquiries. If losing more than one day of accepted messages would be unacceptable, plan a database backup at least daily and check that it completes. The right interval follows the data you cannot recreate, not simply the number of pages on the site.
Recovery time is a separate question. A current backup is less useful if the only person able to restore it is unavailable for a week. Record a responsible person, where the instructions are kept and how hosting access can be recovered. These are planning targets, not guarantees that every incident can be resolved within them.
Choose retention and a separate copy
Keeping only the latest backup can preserve an unnoticed mistake while replacing the last good version. Choose enough restore points to cover your likely detection delay. For illustration, fourteen daily copies of a 200 MB export need about 2.8 GB before compression or other storage overhead. File and database backups may have different sizes and schedules. Check actual storage use rather than assuming unlimited retention is free.
Keep an appropriately protected copy outside the hosting account when practical. If both the website and every backup depend on the same unavailable account, your recovery options narrow. A downloaded copy still needs secure storage, a clear date and a way to find it.
Confirm the plan before relying on it
- Inventory files, uploads, database and configuration.
- State the acceptable data-loss window and recovery time.
- Identify the person who checks failures and performs recovery.
- Choose the backup schedule, retention and separate-copy location.
- Verify available storage and access permissions.
- Schedule a private restore drill and keep its result.
A successful backup job proves that a job ran. A successful restore exercise provides stronger evidence that the saved components work together. Review the plan when new forms, uploads or other changing data are added to the website.