The 3-2-1 backup rule (and how to apply it)

If your website makes money, a backup is not optional. The 3-2-1 rule is simple and proven: 3 copies of your data, on 2 different media, with 1 offsite.

What to back up (website reality)

• Database: posts, orders, users, settings.
• Uploads: images, PDFs, media.
• Application files: themes, plugins, custom code.
• Configuration: environment variables and keys (stored securely).

A practical setup for small businesses

1. Daily automatic backups to your hosting storage.
2. Weekly copy to an external storage (S3 or another provider).
3. Monthly archive kept for 3–12 months (compliance and safety).

Test restores (the step most people skip)

A backup that can’t be restored is not a backup. Schedule a monthly restore test to a staging site to confirm your process.

FAQ

How often should I back up? At minimum daily. For stores or booking sites, consider hourly database backups.

Should I keep backups on the same server? Keep one copy there for fast restore, but always keep at least one offsite.