Backing up is the most critical task for a website owner, according to Karol Król, in WordPress 5 Complete. (Król, 2019) Just like many things in life, you don’t think much about it till you need it.
So how do we make sure that we backup our website and more importantly where do we back it up so we can restore our data?
Utilizing the UpdraftPlus plugin, or a similar plugin, makes this easy by automating the task. Not only can you schedule backups, but they also have a plethora of remote storage options. Before selecting your option, be sure to review its strengths and weaknesses.
Three options for review.
| Option | Pros | Cons |
| Dropbox (Google, n.d.) | Cost-Effective | Plugin Dependency & Failure Risk |
| Automated | Site Resource Strain | |
| Offsite, Secure Storage | Site Inaccessibility | |
| Accessibility | Free Tier Limitations | |
| Version History | No Server-Level Protection | |
| Google Drive (Google, n.d.) | Off-site Storage | Security of Zipped Backups |
| Accessibility | Internet Dependency | |
| Reliability | Not a Dedicated Backup Solution | |
| Free Storage Tier | Potential for Data Loss | |
| Built-in Security | Upload Limits | |
| One Drive (Google, n.d.) | Off-site and enhanced security | Ransomware and syncing risks |
| Protection from local corruption | No true data isolation | |
| Easy restore process | Vendor lock-in: | |
| Scalable storage | Potential account issues | |
| Accessibility | Requires a paid plugin for full features |
The Choice is Yours
In the end, the choice of location is yours, just don’t fail to make a choice.
References
Google. (n.d.). Pros and Cons of WordPress Backup Locations. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=pros+and+cons+of+wordpress+external+backup+to+dropbox&sca_esv=8b6aaa0e07ec78a3&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS1156US1156&sxsrf=AE3TifOjFjC70I8POtBO-qKURK4nb2vvdw%3A1758738556257&ei=fDjUaIK9D__0kPIPwOeayAw&ved=0ahUKEwiC65fXg_KPAxV_OkQIHcCz
Król, K. (2019). WordPress 5 Complete Seventh Edition. Packt Publishing.