Anything from natural disasters to human error can cause a server to stop functioning and cause massive losses to the company that relies on it. As such, many duties are required when running a server, including frequent maintenance, security checks, and more to ensure everything is good to go.
Backups are among the most important functions related to server maintenance. With backups, a server can be restored should anything untoward happen, such as data loss, hardware failure, and the like. Unfortunately, although backups have saved many companies from bigger consequences, there are many myths that can put people at risk of data loss despite having backups.
To ensure you do not lose data due to misinformation, we are going to debunk some backup myths in this article:
Also known as incomplete backups, partial backups have their time and place. You can perform them to secure specific, and since partial backups are smaller than complete backups, this can be done multiple times and frequently.
Of course, the obvious disadvantage is that you would not back up the whole server. You will need to prioritise some data depending on your needs, but, for your sake, do not rely solely on partial backups. You can implement both partial and full backups to ensure what you need is up to date and what you can live without is still safely backed up in case you need it.
Many people believed that the 3.5 updates for WordPress also included auto backups. Unfortunately, this is not true. It does not, in any way, back up your files automatically. As such, setting up your own backup routine is vital to ensure your files are stored safely and that you are ready to restore your operations should the need ever arise.
One-time backups are a big mistake. Just like you would re-read through a sentence you do not understand properly the first time through, you need to do multiple backups to ensure every piece of data is stored and up to date. As for the frequency, however, that depends on your needs.
For instance, if you are running a website with an active blog, a daily backup is vital to ensure you can restore everything to near-present should data loss occur. If you have a portfolio site, a weekly backup will suffice.
With these assumptions, claims, and myths out of the way, we hope you rethink your backup strategy should it lack critical steps. Remember, data loss can occur anytime and can be caused by essentially anything. As such, creating a proper backup and restoration strategy will ensure that you can restore your servers back and allow your business to continue operation with minimal downtime.
That being said, when deciding on a hosting service, be sure they offer the backup services that you need. Only the best of the best can offer you such services reliably, so do take the time to figure out who exactly you can rely on to keep your website running and your data backed up.
Hosted WP is a managed WordPress hoster in Australia offering WordPress hosting and management services to satisfy any company’s WordPress needs and keep them productive and focused. Work with us today for trustworthy, reliable hosting help!