5 Basic Elements of Building, Running and Taking Control of Your Websites - Part 5
BASIC ELEMENT # 5 = BACKUP PLANS
Lastly, you need a website backup plan. A backup plan is a necessary process in almost every endeavor including having a website.
Like your files on your computer, your website backup file is equally important. Although your web host normally promises to backup your websites daily, weekly and monthly, it’s always a good feeling to know you have a ready backup on your computer.
Backing up file is the most often ignored task by the webmaster but this is certainly a process you can’t live without if you are serious about building websites. The reliability of web hosting servers is just erratic. One day the very stable server you are hosted with will fail like any other equipment. And when they do, the fate of your websites is in that very server. If it crashes and fails totally and wiped out all your files, what will you do?
If you are on CPanel, you can easily backup your websites by downloading the backup files of your webpages as well as your databases. It’s very easy to do and may only take you 10 minutes to finish this. These same files can be restored on any Cpanel webhost in case your current web host fails to deliver and you chose to transfer.
With these backup files, you are free to choose to leave a host anytime you like since you also own your domain name. This is the essence of owning your domain and paying for it. If it comes as a freebie in a package with your hosting space, then you can’t leave easily because your host technically holds this domain for you.
So what’s the backup plan and how you do it? Always make sure that you got a fresh copy of your website on a consistent basis, whether daily, weekly or monthly somewhere on your desktop or laptop. Choose the schedule that’s right for you and implement it. This is your backup plan.
By doing backups of your websites, you can be confident that whatever happens, you are in control. There are many backup options available now on the internet. If you can automate this process, then that’s much better. Right now, the options are desktop backup softwares or an online backup service. Both can require you to pay some money.
But hey, if you are the type who pays insurance for your valuables, the same concept applies here. Your backup plan is your insurance to any eventualities that may happen to your website so don’t ignore this advice.
OK, let me be clear here. I am not saying you don’t trust your web host. My point is, do not rely on your web host to backup your website files for you. You may treat this as plain and simple arrogance (and waste of time too) but the payback is huge when you have problems with your host. Trust me on this because I am a victim of seemingly reliable hosts at first but never lived up to their promises because their server fails them.
The key here is to have total control of your websites. You can only have it if you follow my advice on these key basic elements every webmaster should know and implement.
So that’s about it ladies and gentlemen. I hope you find this an interesting read. If you need help on anything, please do ask questions on this blog. We will be happy to share our experience and advice to you.
Cheers!