Site Backup and Restore
· by the Agence Web Premium team, Guéliz Marrakech
Direct answer: a backup stored on the same server as the site is of no use : she disappears with him. The rule is simple — daily backup, external storage, tested restore. Implementation from 600 MAD per year.
It's the most boring subject on the web and the one that saves the most businesses. We regularly recover clients who have lost everything due to lack of usable backup.
What exactly should be backed up?
In short: Two things: the site files and the database. One without the other cannot restore.
Very common error: only backing up files. On a dynamic site, all content — pages, articles, orders, customers — lives in the database.
To save: all files, the complete export of the database, and the server configuration if specific.
Also think about what is not on the server: Google profile, email accounts, access to the domain name. Write them down in a secure document.
How often should you back up?
In short: Daily for a showcase website, several times a day for an online store.
The right question is: how much work are you willing to lose?
For a showcase website modified once a month, a daily backup is more than sufficient. For a store that takes orders all day, a daily backup means losing up to twenty-four hours of sales.
Keep several generations: an infection can go unnoticed for several days, and the previous day's backup would already be compromised. We keep thirty days of history.
Where to store backups?
In short: Outside of the server that hosts the site. Ideally with a different supplier, in a different country.
A backup on the same server only protects against human errors. It does not protect against hacking, hardware failure, or a dispute with the host.
The commonly accepted rule is called 3-2-1: three copies, on two different media, including one off-site. For a website, this simply translates: the site in production, a backup with the host, a backup with external storage.
How do you know if a backup is usable?
In short: By restoring it. An untested backup is not a backup, it's an assumption.
We've seen businesses discover on the day of an incident that their backup had been empty for eight months because a setting had changed.
Test a restore at least once a year, on a separate environment. This takes an hour and validates the entire chain.
Also check the size of the archives: a backup whose weight suddenly collapses indicates a problem.
How much does a proper backup cost?
In short: From 300 to 600 MAD per year for a showcase website, more for a store with several daily backups.
This is the least questionable expense on the web: its cost is insignificant compared to that of a complete reconstruction.
Redoing a lost site costs the price of the site. Recovering a lost customer database is often impossible at any cost.
On the sites we deliver, daily outsourced backup is included during the twelve months of monitoring.
Backup strategy by site type
| Site type | Frequency | Historical | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple display case | daily | 30 days | 300 MAD |
| Showcase with blog | daily | 30 days | 300 – 500 MAD |
| Booking site | 2 times a day | 60 days | 600 – 1,000 MAD |
| Online store | every 6 hours | 90 days | 1,000 – 2,500 MAD |
| Business application | continue | according to contract | on quote |
Indicative prices as of October 4, 2026, external storage included.
Frequently asked questions
What should you save on a website?
Files and database. One without the other does not allow you to restore a dynamic site.
How often to backup?
Daily for a showcase website, several times a day for an online store.
Is a backup with the host sufficient?
No. It disappears in the event of failure or dispute with the host. At least one external copy is required.
How long to keep backups?
At least thirty days. An infection can go unnoticed for several days and compromise recent backups.
How do I check that a backup is working?
By restoring it to a test environment, at least once a year.
How much does a professional backup cost?
From 300 to 600 MAD per year for a showcase website, more for a store.
Is backup included with you?
Yes, daily and outsourced, during the twelve months of monitoring.
Can I restore it myself?
Yes, we provide the procedure. We can also intervene urgently.
Are your backups usable?
We check for free: existence, frequency, storage and restoration test.
