An automatic backup is only useful if you know what’s in it and how to restore it. A notification that the backup was successful doesn’t necessarily mean your website will be usable again afterward.
When preparing changes, we therefore also consider the rollback process. What data needs to remain available? Can we open the copy? And what needs to be checked after the rollback?
These are practical questions you can discuss with your webmaster in advance. You don't need to know how to manage a server yourself.
Determine what you need to be able to retrieve
A website consists of more than just the page a visitor sees. Text and settings may be stored in a database. Images and documents are often stored as separate files. Sometimes, data outside the regular website map is also needed.
Therefore, make sure to specify which components are included in the backup. A copy of just the website files may be missing information from the database. A database copy alone won’t restore the associated images. The WordPress documentation on backups also makes that distinction.
Website management also involves determining whether these components fit together. Files and data from different time periods do not automatically form a usable combination.
Test restoring it in a separate location
It is best to perform a restore test in an isolated environment, separate from the website that visitors use. This allows you to evaluate the backup without overwriting the current content.
Next, look beyond the homepage. Are the important pages and images there? Can you access the information you need for your day-to-day work? And does the administration system work as you expect it to?
In such a test environment, real emails, payments, and automated links must either be disabled or redirect to secure test destinations. Restoring a copy must not trigger any new actions on the part of customers or other systems.
In addition to technical verification, the NCSC recommends testing functional recovery. This allows you to assess whether you can actually continue operating with the restored environment.
Please take into account most recent: CLHATTRNORM_0
A backup reflects a specific point in time. Anything added or changed after that isn't automatically included in that copy.
Therefore, discuss how often data changes and how much data you might lose during a recovery. A website where text changes only occasionally requires a different approach than an environment where new information is constantly coming in.
If you encounter a problem, don't just overwrite the current database with an older one. First, determine what information is still present and how you can preserve it. Perhaps you only need to restore a single file, while the current data can remain as is.
Make sure the copy remains accessible
Know where your backups are stored and who has access to them. If everything is available exclusively under the same hosting account, a problem with that account could also block access to your backups.
Discuss a suitable separate storage location and secure access to it. A backup may contain the same confidential information as the active website. The necessary keys and recovery data must also be securely available to the person performing the recovery.
Specify how long copies are retained. Keeping only the most recent version may not be sufficient if an error is discovered later.
Agree on how to handle the repair
Who assesses the problem? Who is authorized to restore data? And who checks the website afterward? Clarify those responsibilities before you need them.
Also ask how long a recovery test actually took and what was and wasn't included in that time. That provides a more useful starting point than a general promise that everything will be up and running again quickly. The duration in the event of an actual outage may still vary.
Even after the system has been restored, the root cause of the problem still needs to be addressed. For example, an older backup may also contain outdated software. Restoring the system does not replace the necessary updates and checks.
Start by asking your administrator these questions
You can keep track of your appointments. At your next follow-up appointment, ask:
- Which files, data, and settings are included?
- When was the last usable copy created?
- When was the rollback last tested?
- How do we preserve information that was added after that copy was made?
- Who performs the repair, and who evaluates the results?
I think it's important that you get a specific answer to that. That way, you'll know what's been taken care of and which issues still need attention.
Would you like to know how this is set up on your website? Feel free to contact us. We’ll work with you to review the existing arrangements and see what else you’d like us to check.