The Importance of data Backups!

[Greenhost.cloud]

I have been active in various forums for quite some time, and one of the most common issues I encounter is businesses losing data due to negligence in backing up their websites. It's alarming how many companies underestimate the importance of regular backups until it's too late. A single technical glitch, cyberattack, or server failure can lead to irreversible data loss, resulting in significant costs in both time and money, as well as potential damage to their reputation.

In addition to the work your provider does for you, have you ever taken any steps to manage backups for yourself?

 

[bubblehost]

Hello,

In addition to the work your provider does for you, have you ever taken any steps to manage backups for yourself?

Absolutely. We have external servers for our backups, as well as backups on the same server in case the customer needs to restore something. We backup data every week, with a retention of 6 backups.

A single technical glitch, cyberattack, or server failure can lead to irreversible data loss, resulting in significant costs in both time and money, as well as potential damage to their reputation.

Yes, this is something most new web hosts don't really look at. Security.
Thankyou!

 

[SharedGrid]

I don't believe I will ever wrap my head around why people don't take backups? There's so many variables that can go wrong. It's not just relating to web hosting either, I do consultancy for enterprises too and even those who are turning over 10's of millions in revenue will refuse to spend 10k on a half-decent backup solution. There are also those who rely on VM level replicated snapshots to another site - I mean, it's better than nothing, but a incremental snapshot of a powered on VM is not a backup, especially when it's tied into a specific vendor.

Yes, this is something most new web hosts don't really look at. Security.

Is it, though? I would disagree, as long as the people behind the web host are competent in system administration, I believe new web hosts would be more secure. The older IT infrastructure becomes, the more out of date software & hardware is running on the estate, things get forgotten about, and the business doesn't want to invest X amount to migrate away from a old system, you see this all the time in established businesses. A 20 year old system with an uptime of 12 years, no one even dares to open a SSH session to it in case it gets upset, or reboot it in case it never comes back.

 

[Mivocloud]

Hello!

I've often mentioned to our followers and users how crucial it is to have a backup for your data. Reliable hosting companies should provide you with this option, whether it's a full backup or a system snapshot. Not all companies offer this, so if they don't, you need to take security into your own hands. Backup solutions can help prevent major losses from cyberattacks or server issues.

If you're unsure about how to manage backups, don't worry—there are plenty of online courses, and I've created several videos on the topic myself.

 

[OnTheCloud.co]

When acquiring our first shared/reseller hosting company, there were no real backups (even though there was claim to be backing up client data). That was quickly fixed. Am I 100% happy with the system we use? No, but it's better than no backup at all! We do 30 day incremental backups.

Even at that though, clients should be storing a backup of their data on their own. After all, it is THEIR data!

 

[Greenhost.cloud]

Is it, though? I would disagree, as long as the people behind the web host are competent in system administration, I believe new web hosts would be more secure. The older IT infrastructure becomes, the more out of date software & hardware is running on the estate, things get forgotten about, and the business doesn't want to invest X amount to migrate away from a old system, you see this all the time in established businesses. A 20 year old system with an uptime of 12 years, no one even dares to open a SSH session to it in case it gets upset, or reboot it in case it never comes back.

Agree.

I've often mentioned to our followers and users how crucial it is to have a backup for your data. Reliable hosting companies should provide you with this option, whether it's a full backup or a system snapshot. Not all companies offer this, so if they don't, you need to take security into your own hands. Backup solutions can help prevent major losses from cyberattacks or server issues.

I never trust snapshots.

Even at that though, clients should be storing a backup of their data on their own. After all, it is THEIR data!

I agree, from a user's perspective, even if the provider takes daily backups, the user should make separate backups of their essential data.

 

[fusionhostUK]

We backup in multiple places, but we always advise our customers to take an offline backup regularly

 

[Lawrence123]

You're absolutely right about the importance of regular backups. Many businesses overlook this until something goes wrong, and by then, it's often too late. I've seen firsthand how devastating data loss can be, especially when critical business information is involved.

Personally, I always ensure that I manage backups myself in addition to what the hosting provider does. I use automated backup solutions, both on-site and off-site, to ensure redundancy. Cloud storage services like AWS or Google Cloud are great for off-site backups, as they can offer extra protection against server failures or other issues. It's also a good idea to test backups periodically to make sure they’re working properly. I definitely think every business should take this extra step to prevent costly problems down the road.