Backing Up Web Sites

By now most folks understand the importance of backing up critical files on your hard drive. But how about on your web server? Colleen writes about this today on Web Update, and includes a cautionary tale.

First, don't assume that your hosting company has a recent backup. Customers of a Dutch hosting firm recently learned this the hard way. If you're a Miller WebWorks client, it's easy to create backups of your site through the Account Control Center.

Once you log into the Web interface, select "Advanced." On the next screen, click on "Archive Manager." The Archive Manager lets you select a format for your backup (you can choose between Windows .zip file or Unix .tar format). It then compresses your site using that format and placing the archive in a folder called "backup" in your home directory.