Creating a website backup and restore plan

Formulating a plan you can use to respond to a website failure can save you significant time and anxiety if you are ever faced with a serious website or server failure.

In this article we explain issues to consider when preparing a step-by-step website restoration plan and checklist. If a problem should ever occur with your site, you will be familiar with the best way to respond to the problem and can use the checklist you create to guide you through the restoration process.

What is a backup and restore plan?

Keeping backups of your website and relying on your Web hosting provider to do so may not always be sufficient. In addition to uploading your files after a failure, you may need to setup email mailboxes, configure various server settings, and more.

A backup and restore plan should consist of at least two checklists of tasks. The backup checklist should be followed regularly to ensure you have a backup of all files and settings. The restore checklist should list the step-by-step process in order of priority that you need to go through to restore your website if it fails.

You can write these checklists whichever way you prefer. For example, it might be a step-by-step list of tasks or it might simply be a list of passwords and settings that need to be applied. Generally the size and scope of the checklist will depend upon how simple or complicated your site is.

What should my plans contain?

Some of the more common aspects that need to be considered are listed below. The list is not comprehensive, but contains many areas you may need to consider. When writing your backup plan and restoration checklist, it is advisable that you organise it in order of priority. For example, depending on your site, your first priority might be to restore files in your website's root directory, while for other sites the first priority might be to restore email mailboxes.

Domain name management: You should know how to point your domain name to a new Web hosting provider if required. Ensure you know who your domain name registrar is (it will not necessarily be your Web hosting provider). Understand how to access your domain name management interface and ensure you have recorded your login details. It is also beneficial to familiarise yourself with the process of changing your domain name's nameserver information (but be careful not to change the settings accidentally while you visit the domain name management interface or your website will stop working!).
Backup CD/DVD: In addition to storing a backup of your website's files on your hard drive, make regular backups to CD, DVD or other suitable removable media.
Database backups and settings: If your site uses a database (such as a MySQL database) back it up on a regular basis together with your files and know how to properly restore and configure it on a new server.
Usernames and passwords: Record any usernames, passwords and other login details for your website.
Email mailboxes, aliases and redirects: Your site might use multiple email mailboxes, aliases and redirects. Record these on your checklist so that you don't forget to add one after your site is restored. If you forget, you could lose important email without your knowledge.
CGI scripts: Your website might use CGI scripts (for example, to run contact forms). These will usually be located in your site's 'cgi-bin' folder. Remember to back these up and know how to configure and restore them, including setting up any file permissions they might require (see below).
File permissions: Web servers let you set read/write/access permissions for individual files and folders. For example, CGI scripts will require certain settings so that they can run. Other files, such as those containing website configuration data, might need to be inaccessible to visitors.
Upload formats: Some files will need to be uploaded in an ASCII format before they can run (including some CGI scripts), while others will need to be uploaded in binary format (including some commercial PHP scripts that use copy-protection technology).
Subdomains: Record any subdomains your site uses (examples of subdomains are websitebytes.mmau.com and softwaresizzle.mmau.com) and know what folder on your backup CD/DVD corresponds to each subdomain.
Parked and add-on domain names: Some Web hosting plans let you add multiple domain names to the same hosting plan. List these extra domain names and where they redirect to. You might also need to change the nameserver details of these parked and add-on domain names after the restoration process (see the section about domain name management further above).
Redirects: Some URLs on your site might be set up to redirect to another location. Record what they are. They might be set up via your website's control panel or through a .htaccess file (see below).
.htaccess files: These files have many uses. If your website requires them, back them up in case they contain important settings that you need to apply to your new site.
Server settings: Record all server settings such as log file storage settings and login details.
Forms and pre-written components: If your site uses contact forms or pre-written components such as forums, know how to upload, setup and configure them, including loading any custom designs you might have created.
Error and file-not-found pages: In addition to backing up and restoring custom error and file-not-found pages, you will need to tell your Web server what they are.

View more articles...

A Multimedia Australia website.

Creating a website backup and restore plan

What is a backup and restore plan?

What should my plans contain?

Related articles