I have been looking for a decent backup solution for a while.
Having run websites since 1994, I have a fair amount of content that would take some time to replicate if I lost it all.
I now run 7 WordPress sites, as well as my own URL shortener, bookmark site, and twitter clients from the same server from my sponsor WebHostingBuzz.
I have tried multiple backup solutions to ensure that I have a recent copy of all my sites should something untoward happen.
Solutions I have tried include
WHM S3 Backup
BackWPup
Wordpress backup to dropbox
In the case of the solutions above, they either back up everything, meaning you have to sift through large ZIP files to find what you need, or they only back up WordPress files, leaving non-WP files at risk.
My backup requirements are fairly simple:
- back up my 7 WordPress blogs, themes and database
- back up my entire dedicated server and configuration
- back up my non-wp sites such as twitter client, URL shortener and bookmarks
The issue of backups came up at the recent Bloggade hosted by Timico, where Neville Hobson also spoke about the solution he uses – VaultPress.
One service that was recommended to me by WebHostingBuzz CEO Matt Russell was CodeGuard.
Matt put me in touch with Codeguard CEO and co-founder, David Moeller.
I spoke to David and he agreed to bring me on as a CodeGuard ambassador. As per the sponsorship agreement I have with WebHostingBuzz, I only agreed to become an Ambassador if I could really see for myself the power of the solution – and use it for real.
On of the criticisms I have with so-called celebrity “endorsements” is that often Celerities are simply paid to talk about a product without ever really using it and understanding the benefits.
In comparison, I have now trusted the 2 most important parts of my digital life to 3rd parties – my web hosting and backup.
If WebHostingBuzz fails, then so do all of my websites, and my digital reputation. Thankfully their services are rock solid, and when something does go wrong, they get onto it straight away.
Backups to a blogger should be seen in the same way as an insurance policy. If your web host has an issue and your site is lost, can you recover it?
I back up everything regularly (including my laptop). A few months ago I received the blue screen of death and had to have the whole PC rebuilt and the SSD drives were wiped. Having an day-old backup meant that I lost very little.
The CodeGuard service is excellent – and I can say that after having had a couple of solid weeks using it for all my sites.
It is simple to use, as this timeline from their website shows.
Once you have set up an account, you simply supply your FTP credentials, then nominate what to backup.
You can also add multiple databases per site.
The initial backup can take a while, then subsequent daily backups are differential.
You are informed at every step of the way what is happening, and emails can be sent to let you know what has been backed up.
The files are Hosted on Amazon’s S3 servers, and it is simple to use – I have been very impressed with the service and I can rest assured each day my files are being checked for changes and backed up.
Pricing starts at $5/month for 1 site – well worth a look
