Backups are boring until the day they are the only thing between you and starting over. Whether it is a website, a game world or a whole VPS, the principles are the same. Here is how to back up properly and, just as important, how to know your backup actually works.
The 3-2-1 rule
The standard that survives real disasters:
- 3 copies of your data
- on 2 different types of storage
- with 1 copy off-site, on a different machine or provider
The off-site copy is the one that saves you when the whole server is lost, not just a single file.
What to back up
You rarely need the entire disk. Focus on what you cannot regenerate:
- Databases, the most important and the easiest to forget. Export them, do not just copy the live files.
- User uploads and content: images, attachments, save files.
- Config files you have customized.
- For game servers, the world or save folder specifically (for example
world,SavedArks,worlds_local).
Application code and the operating system can usually be reinstalled, so they are lower priority than your data.
Automate it
A backup you have to remember is a backup you will forget. Put it on a schedule:
- A nightly database dump plus a copy of your data folder covers most needs.
- Keep several days of history, not just the latest, so you can recover from a problem you did not notice right away.
- For databases, a simple cron job that runs
mysqldumpand copies the file off-server is enough to start.
Keeping backups only on the same server is the most common mistake. If the server dies or is compromised, those backups go with it. Always send one copy elsewhere.
Test a restore before you need one
This is the step almost everyone skips. A backup you have never restored is a guess, not a backup. Once, on a spare server or a local copy:
- Take a backup.
- Restore it somewhere clean.
- Confirm the site or world actually loads and the data is intact.
Now you know your process works, and you know how long it takes.
When the host helps
Managed hosting often includes automatic snapshots and one-click restores, which removes most of this burden. Vastrox plans include backups, and our team can restore for you. Before any risky change, such as a major update or a migration, take a manual snapshot first. See How to migrate your website with zero downtime for change-day planning.
FAQ
How often should I back up?
Daily for anything that changes daily, such as a database or an active game world. Keep several days of history so you can roll back further than yesterday.
Is one backup on the server enough?
No. If the server fails or is hacked, on-server backups are lost too. Keep at least one copy off-site.
What is the most overlooked thing to back up?
The database, and a tested restore. Many people copy files but never export the database, or never check that a restore actually works.
Want backups handled for you? Talk to support. Automatic backups and restores are part of every managed plan.