SCKLS WordPress Newsletter #3

Issue #3

1/2/2024

Cheap Insurance: Backups

Hello, librarians!

In this third issue of our WordPress Express Tips newsletter, we'll discuss the vital importance of backups. Like property insurance, it may be a bit inconvenient to maintain, but if something bad happens, you'll be VERY glad you did!

If you have missed any previous issues, you can now read them online.

Remember, if there is another staff member at your library who should see these newsletters, I’ll be happy to subscribe them, too – just provide me with their contact information.

Sharon Barnes, SCKLS Technology Consultant

What's the big deal about backups?

As the library director or administrator of your library's website, you are responsible for downloading a backup of your site periodically. In the event of a major problem, a backup saved on your computer may be the only way to get up and running again without recreating your website from scratch!

Your site settings include automatic backups. BUT, as with backing up anything, you need to have a recent copy in a separate location. Backups are pointless if the place they are kept goes down in flames, whether metaphoric or in an actual fire. The warning shown here (from your backup settings page) is serious!

A couple of important notes:

Only two backups are saved on the web server. Each backup takes web server disk space, so SCKLS must set a limit. But you may download and keep as many backups as you like, on your own computer or file storage.

Download backups regularly.

Access to a 6-month-old backup is better than nothing, but if you have edited your site since then, you may have a lot of work to redo!

To download a backup, log in to your site and go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups.

At the Backup/Restore tab, scroll down to the most recent backup.

Click each of the 5 or 6 buttons in turn.

When they're ready, download ALL the files one by one and save them together in a specified folder, so you'll know where to find it.

And you're done! Now, in the event of a major problem, you will have the capability to restore your site in just a few clicks.

Tweaking your backup settings

If you would like to verify your settings or make changes, go to the Settings tab and do a bit of a review. We'll look at these from the bottom up:

1 Make sure that ALL options are checked! Without all of these elements, a backup would be incomplete and possibly unusable.

2 If you have cloud storage, you can set your site backups to save to that space instead of the web server. Once set up, this should happen automatically, and you might be able to save more backup versions. Choose an option, then follow through to connect to your account with that service.

3 Set the backup frequency based on how often you update your site. If you write posts or make changes weekly, a monthly backup may not be enough. Remember that in the event of a restore, you will lose any changes made after that last backup! Make sure that the files and database backup settings match, and retain only two on the web server.

By taking these simple precautions, you'll be well prepared to keep your website up and running and serving your community!

In the event of a serious problem, please contact SCKLS staff immediately, and we can work together to resolve the issue, including restoring the site from your backup if necessary.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns about your website,

please reach out to me at sharon@sckls.info.

Sharon Barnes, SCKLS Technology Consultant

sharon@sckls.info

1-800-234-0529 x135