Checking the backups created

Backing up your website is crucial for the continuity and security of your online presence. But a backup is only the first step. It's equally important to regularly check that your backups are actually working and that you can restore them if necessary. In this blog post, we'll look at how you can do this for WordPress websites and other types of websites.

Why are backups important?

Backups are essential because they allow you to quickly restore your website after incidents such as: Hacker or malware attacks Errors in updates or changes Unintentional deletion of files A reliable backup can save a lot of time and effort, and in some cases even save your entire business. It is therefore advisable to educate yourself and ensure that not only backups are created, but also that you know how to restore them quickly and reliably.

Control and verification of backups for WordPress websites

WordPress is the most widely used content management system for creating and maintaining websites. There are various tools and also plug-ins that you can use to back up your WordPress hosting website and database.

Once you have decided on a tool and set it up, it is necessary to check at least once a month that these backups have been successfully created and are complete. 1.

Regular backup schedule Use plugins such as UpdraftPlus or BackWPup to set up automatic backups. Make sure you choose a schedule that corresponds to the frequency of updates on your website. In most cases, a weekly backup is sufficient, but daily backups may also be necessary.



You can easily set up this schedule in BackWPup, and we tested that it works in a previous blog post. https://www.mijnhostingpartner.nl/blog/beveiliging/een-backup-maken-van-je-wordpress-website/ 2.

Store in multiple locations Don't just store your backups on your hosting package. Use external storage locations such as Google Drive, Dropbox or a remote server to ensure your backups are safe even in the event of a total disaster. This isn't possible for free with most WordPress plugins, but it's worth investing in.

If you don't want to budget for this, upload the data manually to a third party location anyway. 3.

Test your backup files Regularly testing your backup files is crucial.





Follow these steps: Download your backup file and save it to a safe location. Create a local development environment on your computer or use a subdomain. Restore the backup to this environment.





Use tools such as Duplicator or the integrated restore options of your backup plugin. Check the website thoroughly to ensure that everything is working properly and that all content and functions are available. Check and verify backups for other websites The process for non-WordPress websites is similar, but may vary depending on the platform and technology you are using.

Backup tools and methods

For other websites, you can use different tools and methods, such as FTP: Use an FTP client to regularly download and save your website files. Database backups: Use tools such as phpMyAdmin to back up your database.





Backups at the hosting provider: At MijnHostingPartner.de you can also purchase an add-on that creates daily incremental backups. As with WordPress, it is important to store your backups in multiple locations. External storage services such as Amazon S3 or Google Drive can be a good option.

Test your backups Download your backup files and store them securely. Create a local development environment or use a subdomain. Restore the backup to this environment.

This can be done manually by uploading the files via FTP and importing the database using tools such as phpMyAdmin. Check the website thoroughly to make sure everything is working as it should.

General tips for all websites

Document your backup and restore procedures: Make sure you have a clear manual for creating and restoring backups.

This can save time in emergency situations, especially if you are no longer able to perform them yourself. Automate wherever possible: Use automated tools and scripts to streamline the process of creating and storing backups; this also largely prevents things from being forgotten due to laziness.



Verify the integrity of backups: Use checksums or other methods to ensure that your backup files have not been corrupted. Regularly checking and verifying your website backups is essential to ensure that you are always prepared for unexpected problems. By following these steps, you can be sure that your backups are reliable and that your website can be restored quickly in the event of a disaster.