Is the Cloud Secure for WordPress Website Backups?

From photos to documents and entire websites, cloud storage solutions have made it easier than ever to store data online.

In recent years, the cloud services industry has expanded to offer cloud storage solutions for customers around the world, making it an affordable option for business and personal use alike.

If you’re wondering, is the cloud secure? The cybersecurity industry has made massive strides to make cloud storage safer than ever before. This enables consumers and businesses to store valuable data securely in the cloud.

What is the Cloud?

In simple terms, the cloud refers to servers and data that can be accessed through the internet. This allows hardware and storage devices to be located remotely while still giving you access to the information through the internet.

Cloud servers can be located in central locations all over the world. This gives consumers quick access to data no matter where they are in the world. While we may think that the cloud is a recent technology, the truth is that it has been around for a long time.

Cloud technology makes it possible for us to access our data and documents from multiple devices. This technology powers useful online services such as Gmail and Microsoft Office 365. These popular services have expanded to launch their own cloud-based storage options, Google Drive and OneDrive.

In the past, technology companies used to keep these network servers to store your data for you. However, modern cloud services allow businesses and individuals to gain uninterrupted access to cloud storage services. This enables you to use the power of the cloud for all kinds of personal and commercial uses.

Is the Cloud Secure?

Cloud storage is designed with security in mind. Due to the sensitivity of the information stored in the cloud, service providers have prioritized security from the ground up. Some services offer to encrypt all data stored on their servers to add yet another layer of protection.

Cloud services have developed a few modern safety features to help you keep your data secure. The most popular is two-factor authentication. This is a special system that allows you to protect access to your cloud storage account.

This means that you need more than just a password to enter your account. Two-factor authentication will send a verification code to your phone or email account to confirm the identity of whoever is requesting access to your profile. Once you have entered the verification code successfully, you will gain access to your data.

This kind of security keeps your account and data secure even if your password were to be leaked or retrieved in any way. You will also receive a notification whenever someone else tries to enter your cloud storage profile without your permission.

What is a Cloud Backup?

While the cloud allows you to access and store data remotely, it can also be incredibly useful for backups. There are a few cloud-based services that give you the option to upload whatever you want, but backups work in a slightly different way.

Cloud backups for your website are also known as online backups. This is an efficient way to help protect your personal data and involves both creating a copy of your entire website and sending it to be stored securely in the cloud. This kind of backup looks very different to manual backups as it includes every little detail of your website.

This kind of backup takes a copy of your website’s data and stores it securely in the cloud. This is a more secure way to hold your data as it’s kept separately from the rest of your website. In this way, if something were to go wrong with your website or the server that your website is currently being hosted on, you can still access your data remotely.

Why Should You Backup Websites?

A website backup is a detailed copy of your entire website. This copy can be securely stored away so that if anything were to happen to your site, you have a copy to restore. This backup includes all text, photos, videos, and even the underlying metadata.

This means that if you were to restore your website to a previous backup, you’ll be left with an identical copy of your exact website. Website backups can also copy entire databases to store them in the cloud. This can act as an incredibly important safety feature to have if you rely on your website for your business.

Whether you have a detailed eCommerce platform or a simple portfolio website, backing up your website often can help you protect your information if anything were to go wrong. Having a recent backup of your website can help you restore your information with the tap of a button.

What’s Included in a Website Backup?

While many may think that a website backup only stores written words and pictures, it’s actually a lot more than that. Website backups include all types of media and even create a copy of the settings you may have had on your website. This means that the backup remembers what photo you had and exactly how you positioned it to display on your website.

How Often Should You Backup Your Website?

If you’re wondering how often you should back up your website, the quick answer is as often as possible. The more you back up your website, the more accurate the backup is. This is incredibly important for websites that regularly update, such as blogs or eCommerce websites.

While some may say that a weekly backup is sufficient, others recommend backing up your website’s data every day to give yourself the most protection against lost data. For eCommerce websites, multiple backups per day are highly recommended.

This means that your information will be secure even if you make changes to your website throughout the day.

Top Tips for Optimal WordPress Backups

WordPress is a leading website development tool and is one of the most popular website builders on the market today. WordPress does not just include world-class design features but also offers optimized security and backup plugins to help you maintain your website.

There are also a number of plugins available to ensure automatic, cloud-based backups for your website. When evaluating what backup plugin to use, here are a few tips to keep in mind for optimal WordPress backups.

Include Both Files and Databases

Websites are more than what you see on the webpage, they often include incredibly complex databases. When backing up your website, it’s essential that you back up both your files and databases. This way, your entire website can be restored with just a few clicks.

Website Backup Every Day

The more your site is backed up, the safer the backup is. The minimum recommendation is to back up your website every day. If you have a membership or eCommerce website, it can be beneficial to back up your website two to four times a day for added protection.

Quick Backup Restoration

Not all backup solutions are the same. While some plugins simply generate the plugin for you, it’s best to use a backup plugin that lets you restore your entire website with just a few clicks. Free backup plugins will often have limited features and might not allow for a simple restoration process.  Remember, you don’t want to be dealing with a complicated restoration process when you’re in the middle of an emergency.

Remote Storage

When it comes to backing up your website, it’s always a great idea to save your backup on a separate server. This can help protect your data if anything were to happen to the server that hosts your website or database.

WordPress Maintenance Services for Your Business

If you were still wondering, is the cloud secure? The simple answer is an absolute, yes. Despite modern cybersecurity measures advancing over the years, a robust WordPress backup strategy will improve your website’s security, reliability and availability.

Whether you have a small business or are scaling up soon, WP Assist is here to help you with all your WordPress maintenance needs. With a wide variety of WordPress care packages for you to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect package for your business needs.