Databases3 min read
Backups you have actually tested: RPO, RTO and point-in-time recovery
You do not have backups. You have restores — and you only know whether you have those if you have done one this quarter.
Back up your website files and its database, at least weekly, stored somewhere other than the website's own server. Most importantly, test restoring one at least once — an untested backup is an assumption, and the moment you need it is the worst time to discover it does not work.
| What | Why | Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Website files | Design, images, code | Rarely |
| Database | Pages, posts, settings, orders | Constantly |
| Usually separate from the site | Constantly | |
| Domain settings | Where your site and email point | Rarely |
The off-server point matters. If your host has a serious failure or your account is suspended, backups stored on that same host disappear with everything else.
Restore a backup to a test location at least once, so you know the process works.
Many do, but often only for a short window and sometimes as a paid add-on. Check what is included and how far back it goes. Never rely solely on your host — keep your own copy too.
They handle infrastructure backups for you. You cannot download a full copy in the same way, which is a real limitation, but you are protected from server failure.
Usually nothing meaningful. Free plugins handle WordPress, most hosts include something, and cloud storage for a small site costs a few dollars a year.
Restore from a backup made before the compromise, then fix the vulnerability that let them in. Restoring without fixing the cause means it happens again within days.
ROVQIX Engineering
Engineering team, ROVQIX
The ROVQIX engineering team builds and maintains web platforms, APIs and infrastructure for clients across SaaS, ecommerce and enterprise. These notes come out of real production work — deploys, incidents, migrations and audits.
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You do not have backups. You have restores — and you only know whether you have those if you have done one this quarter.
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