How do I know my website backups actually work?: Opal

You know a backup works when someone has restored it onto a spare copy of your site and confirmed the copy looks and behaves like the real thing. A backup that has only ever been created, and never tested, is a hope rather than a safety net. The good news is that you can check this without being technical: look at the dates, ask where the copies are kept, and ask for a practice restore.

Why "the backup ran" is not enough

Most website owners have been told, at some point, that their site is backed up. Usually that means a tool is switched on and a green tick appears somewhere. I am glad when I see that tick, but I never treat it as proof.

Backups can fail quietly. A copy can be created but missing the database, which holds your pages, posts, orders and settings. It can be saved on the same server as the site, so if the server has a problem, both disappear together. It can be so old that restoring it would undo months of work. None of these show up as an error. They only show up on the day you need the backup, which is the worst day to find out.

What a good backup has

A backup you can rely on has three things.

It is complete. A proper backup includes both the files (your theme, images, uploads) and the database (your actual content). If only one is there, the site cannot be rebuilt.

It is stored somewhere else. A copy that lives on the same server as your website is better than nothing, but not by much. At least one copy should be kept in a separate place, so a single problem cannot take out both.

It is recent enough for your site. A brochure site that changes twice a year can live with older copies. A shop that takes orders every day cannot. Ask yourself how much you could afford to lose, and check that the backup schedule matches the answer.

How to check, without being technical

You do not need to open a control panel full of settings. Try these three steps.

Look at the list of backups. Whoever manages your site should be able to show you the dates of the most recent copies. If the newest one is much older than you expected, that is worth a conversation.
Ask where the copies are kept. The answer should include a location that is separate from your website's own server. If nobody can tell you, treat that as a gap to close.
Ask for a practice restore. This is the most important step. Someone takes a recent backup and rebuilds it on a private copy of your site, not on the live one. Then they click around: does the home page load, are the images there, does the contact form work, can you log in, is your latest post present?

If the practice copy looks right, you have real evidence. If it does not, you have found a problem while nothing was at stake, which is exactly when you want to find it.

Where I fit in

My care check looks at when your site's last backup ran and puts that date in your report, so an old or missing backup is easy to spot. I do not make, store or restore backups myself, so keep your own, and ask whoever looks after your site for the practice restore described above.

How often to test

There is no single right answer, but a few moments stand out as good times for a practice restore:

When a backup system is first set up.
After a big change to the site, such as a new theme, a new shop setup or a move to a different host.
On a regular rhythm that suits you, so it does not get forgotten.

A small site that rarely changes can be tested less often than a busy one. What matters is that it happens at all.

Keep a short note

After each test, ask for a few lines in plain language: the date, which backup was used, what was checked and whether it passed. That note is useful if you ever change who looks after your site, because the next person can see what has already been proven.

Common questions

Isn't the backup from my hosting company enough?

It can be a useful layer, but I would not rely on it alone. You may not control how often it runs, how long copies are kept, or how easy it is to restore from. Having your own separate copy, stored elsewhere, means you are not depending on a single provider.

Can I test a backup myself?

You can check the dates and ask where the copies live, and those are worth doing. A full restore is better left to whoever manages your site, because it should be done on a private copy so the live site is never put at risk. You can then do the fun part: clicking through the copy and telling them whether it feels right.

What if the test shows my backups are not working?

Do not panic. You have learned something valuable at a calm moment. Ask for the backup setup to be corrected, then have the test repeated until a restore comes out looking right. Until then, it is sensible to make a fresh manual copy of the site and keep it somewhere safe.