Seeing as how we’ve been bombarded lately with all sorts of dire news regarding attacks on WordPress Security, it’s only natural that people are taking a look at making WordPress backups of their site in case something drastic occurs.
In reality, this is something that should be a regular part of our WordPress security regimen, and not a once in a while occurrence.
So how best to generate WordPress backups?
In my opinion, the fastest, easiest and most comprehensive way to perform WordPress backups is through the use of a plugin. There are a lot of working parts within your WordPress install, and should you miss even a widget, your site may not work as you want it to.
Many depend on their web host to back up for them, and while most do make backups, for me, it’s more a matter of who I want being responsible for my site. After all, the reason you are making a backup in the first place is for the eventuality of a problem with your host’s servers. Wouldn’t you feel more comfortable having a copy emailed to you or Amazon S3 monthly?
What to look for in a plugin for WordPress backups
There are a few features you want to make sure you are getting when you purchase a plugin for this purpose.
– Your plugin needs to be compatible with the most recent version of WordPress. Regular updates to the plugin are a must, to keep up with the frequent changes within the WordPress platform itself.
– A site restore feature. Don’t laugh, many lack this ability.
– A scheduling capability so that you can have a hands-off backup created for you whether you remember to do it or not. Strive to make a complete backup at least once per month.
– The ability to have files emailed to your destination of choice, whether to your local computer, Amazon S3 or any other storage.
– The ability to do WordPress cloning, where you make a copy of your site for other purposes, such as site redesign offline, site migration to a new web host, or other reasons.
– A scanner to look for malware while you are backing up. This can provide another level of WordPress security.
I hope you see the importance of doing regular WordPress backups and are ready to start securing your sites right away, starting today, while it’s still fresh on your mind.
If so, go to www.backupcreator.com to back up, clone, and secure your WordPress site right now before anything happens to it.