Website backups: why you need to test recovery

Backing up often comes down to a “task completed” notification. The real question is different: can the team recover the required version of the site if the database, files or server access disappear? A separate recovery test provides the answer.

Define what the backup contains

List the data the project needs to work: publications, uploaded images, settings and code. Identify what lives in separate services and how access to those services is recovered. A repository copy does not replace the article database, while a database archive does not contain photographs stored elsewhere.

Assign an owner and a storage process to each part. Decide how many earlier versions to retain based on how long it usually takes the team to notice mistakes. Do not treat a copy on the same server as the only recovery option if that server is lost.

Run a recovery exercise

Use a separate environment so the exercise cannot affect the live site. Restore data using written instructions, then open several pages and images and try editorial tasks. Make sure the test environment does not send real notifications to clients.

Document the limitations

Record which version was recovered, how long the work took and what was missing. If the instructions rely on one specialist’s knowledge, add clear steps. Repeat the exercise after significant infrastructure changes. A tested recovery path matters more than an impressive report on the number of archives created.