These slides are from my WordCamp Chicago presentation about creating a solid backup strategy to implement on your self-hosted WordPress site.

1. How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Backup WordPress Chris Jean @chrisjean chrisjean.com

3. Web developers/designers that host and/or maintain client sites

4. What are backups? ” Backups are useful primarily for two purposes. The first is to restore a state following a disaster (called disaster recovery). The second is to restore small numbers of files after they have been accidentally deleted or corrupted. Data loss is also very common. 66% of internet users have suffered from serious data loss.” Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backup

6. Complete: The backup must be able to fully restore the site. This includes both the database and files.

7. Automation: Save time and prevent loss due to forgetting by making the backups automatic.

8. Duplication: Don't have a single point of failure. Can the backup can be easily (automatically?) copied to another location?

11. austinmatzko.com/wordpress-plugins/wp-db-backup/

15. Database export can be restored via phpMyAdmin (available in cPanel) and manually on the command line. Non-cPanel hosting tools may also have a database import utility. Great instructions on the WordPress Codex: codex.wordpress.org/Restoring_Your_Database_From_Backup

17. Both can be scheduled

18. Easy to set up

20. Two plugins needed

21. May not make full site backup

23. Web Design Company, Inc

24. webdesigncompany.net/automatic-wordpress-backup/

27. Stores backups in remote Amazon S3 storage

30. pluginbuddy.com/purchase/backupbuddy/

31. Backs up both database and files

34. Able to send backups via email and FTP

35. Can be automated

37. Can have issues with large (1GB+) sites

39. vaultpress.com

40. Backs up entire site

41. Monitors for site attacks and content spam

42. In active development, so full details are limited

45. Backups stored on Automattic's storage cloud

46. Does more than just backups

48. Paid service

49. Backups are not available to user (not confirmed)

51. WP S3 Backups wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-s3-backups/

53. Do a full backup at least once a week.

54. Do a database backup, if possible, once a day.

56. Standard backups can only recreate the site exactly as it was. This means that a migration will have to be done manually.

57. Not only does migration allow for better protection against unknown factors, it allows for simple testing of backups.

59. If you lose some content (not images), try using a search engine's cache feature to retrieve the content.

60. Once a month, test your backups to make sure they are reliable.