Are Your Website Backups Working?

Author: Kyle Murphy
Posted: 31 Jan 2022 (updated on 20 Sept 2024)

Backups are a critical part of managing a website, but if you're not testing them, you could be wasting your time. We've compiled some tips to help you make the most of your backup strategy.

What to back up

Not everything needs to be backed up, so decide what matters. Backups take time and storage costs money, so the less space you use the better. For example, if you're using a CMS you will likely need a backup of the database and your assets (images, files and so on). If you have a static website, you need a backup of all the files and components used to generate the site.

The 3-2-1 rule

The 3-2-1 backup rule is well known in technology circles but less so elsewhere. It says:

Keep 3 copies of your data at all times.
Keep 2 of them on different devices.
Keep 1 of them off-site.

A note on cloud storage

With cloud storage getting cheaper all the time, it's common to store your backups in the cloud. It's a great way to keep them off-site, but be careful: encrypt all of your backups before you upload them. Your website and its data should only be accessible by you.

Tools like Restic encrypt your backups before they leave your machine. We've written about using Restic with S3 storage.

Test, verify and test again

You might as well not bother making backups at all if you're not going to test them. You would be surprised how many people think they're doing a great job with their backups, only to find they don't work when it's time to roll back.

All backups should be tested and confirmed to be working. That isn't always enough, because data stored on a hard drive can become corrupted. Also make a checksum of each backup so you can check later that it hasn't changed.

Don't blindly trust third-party backups

Whether you have a "no hassles" backup service included with your web hosting or you pay a company to do it for you, don't just trust or assume that they are doing the right thing.

You should be able to access your backups on demand or by request. Test them periodically, or ask to have a backup restored on a test site, so you can confirm that everything is working.