Implement a Backup Strategy
Reputable hosting providers perform routine daily backups (and sometimes more often than that).
Such backups can get you out of a hole if a Joomla! CMS or Third Party Extension update were to break your website (and you forgot to make a backup - ouch).
These hosting provider backups should be augmented by your own.
Why?
To protect your valuable website should you for whatever reason be locked out of your hosting provider's server environment.
Introducing Akeeba Backup
Akeeba Backup is a useful 3rd party extension for Joomla! and Wordpress.
It offers a quick and easy way to create Backup Archives of your website from within your website Dashboard.
And without the need to sign into your website's Hosting Control Panel, which is where you would otherwise create Backup Archives.
Read more: Introducing Akeeba Backup.
Three Golden Rules of Backup
Follow these three 'golden rules' to increase your resilience in the face of the ever-increasing risk of website compromise.
Rule 1: Never store Backup Archives in the Document Root.
Rule 2: Always use an FTP Client.
Rule 3: Test your Backup Archive for errors.
1) Never store Backup Archives in the Document Root
The Document Root is the main directory on a web server where all the files for a website are stored.
On a cPanel server it is called the public_html directory and can be viewed in the File Manager screen of a hosting control panel.
2) Use an FTP Client
Only ever use an FTP Client to download a Backup Archive from the server.
Read more: Getting started using FileZilla.
Reason
The Hosting Control panel and its File Manager are accessed via a web browser.
Backup Archives (and any other kind of Zip file) may be corrupted when transferred via a web browser.
Possible causes: unstable internet connection and issues with the browser.
The bigger the Zip file the greater the risk of it becoming corrupted.
Backup Archives can be very big Zip files.
3) Test your Backup Archive for errors
To confirm that your backup is accurate and complete.
And you can restore your website were it ever to become compromised.
Alternative Backup Strategies
The 3-2-1 Backup Rule
This simple backup strategy will appeal to most website administrators.
The 3-2-1 Backup Rule involves keeping:
- 3 copies of your Backup Archive on
- 2 different types of storage media
- 1 of which is stored off-site (the other in-house).
The first copy is stored outside of the document root (the main directory on a web server where all the files for a website are stored and accessed) i.e. 'in the cloud'.
A second copy is stored 'off the cloud' on the internal hard drive of your device.
A third copy is stored on an external hard drive (stored remotely from the second copy).
The 3-2-1-1-0 Backup Rule
This more complex backup strategy is regarded as the gold standard in data protection.
The 3-2-1-1-0 Backup Rule involves keeping:
- 3 copies of your Backup Archive on
- 2 different types of storage media
- 1 of which is stored off-site (the other in-house)
- 1 is an immutable (unchangeable) copy and there are
- 0 backup errors.
A more resilient strategy?
Some experts consider even this more robust 3-2-1-1-0 Backup Rule to be insufficient in the face of ever more ransomware attacks targeting backup infrastructure.
And recommend a more resilient approach.
One that assumes attackers will try to destroy your ability to recover.
If you would like to learn more about the more resilient approach then we recommend you read an article in The Hacker News (17 June 2025).
Read more: Backups Are Under Attack: How to Protect Your Backups
Verify 0 Backup Errors
Whichever backup strategy you use, it is important to periodically verify (test) your Backup Archives to ensure they are error-free and recoverable from should the need arise.
The 0 in the 3-2-1-1-0 Backup Rule means 0 backup errors.
The 3-2-1 Backup Rule should really be thought of as the 3-2-1-0 Backup Rule.
JOOMLERS.UK is sponsored by WYNCHCO Solutions
WYNCHCO Solutions help and support managers responsible for Joomla! CMS websites in UK business and third sector organisations across Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and North West England.
