At RackNerd, we prioritize performance, uptime, and reliability — but even the most well-tuned environment is vulnerable without one essential safeguard: backups.

Whether it’s human error, software bugs, cyberattacks, or hardware failure, data loss can strike at any time. A solid backup plan isn’t a technical luxury, it’s a necessity. Whether you’re running a business website, managing client projects, or hosting applications, backups ensure you’re protected when the unexpected happens.

In this article, we’ll break down why backups matter, what best practices you should follow, and how your responsibilities may differ depending on the type of hosting plan you’re using.

Why Backups Matter

Even with high-performance hardware and stable software, no environment is immune to issues. Here are just a few common scenarios:

• Accidental file deletion or misconfiguration
• A faulty plugin, update, or script failure
• Malware, ransomware, or website compromise
• Hardware component failure

In any of these cases, having a recent, working backup can be the difference between a quick recovery or extended downtime and data loss.

Backup Solutions Depend on Your Hosting Type

Shared & Reseller Hosting Clients — We’ve Got You Covered

If you’re using RackNerd’s shared or reseller hosting plans, your data is protected by default. We include JetBackup with daily automated offsite backups stored securely in Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage — all at no extra charge. We maintain a rolling 30 day retention period for all cPanel accounts.

You can log into cPanel and view your daily backups directly via JetBackup, giving you transparency and peace of mind. You even have the option to download backups locally to your own device if you want an additional layer of protection.

If you’re with another hosting provider, don’t assume backups are in place — always ask and verify:

• Are backups included?
• How often are they performed?
• Are they stored offsite?
• Can you access or download them?

A good backup solution should be visible and verifiable — not just a claim buried in fine print.

VPS & Dedicated Server Users — You’re in Control

With VPS and dedicated servers, especially unmanaged ones, backups are almost always the user’s responsibility. This is true not just at RackNerd, but across the entire hosting industry.

These environments give you full control — but that also means it’s up to you to ensure your data is safe. Even if your provider claims to perform backups, we strongly recommend maintaining your own backup system. This is especially important in isolated environments like VPS and dedicated servers where you control the OS and software stack entirely.

To help users get started, we published a quick, easy-to-follow tutorial on setting up daily offsite backups between two VPS servers using rsync and cron: How to Backup Your VPS – A Simple Guide to Getting Started

This method takes just minutes to set up and is a solid starting point for users who want basic, automated protection.

Best Practices for Hosting Backups

No matter your setup, following these best practices will help ensure your data is secure and recoverable:

1. Automate Your Backups

Manual backups get overlooked. Use cron jobs, JetBackup, or your control panel’s built-in scheduler to automate the process.

2. Use Off-Site Storage

Never store backups on the same physical server. Always store copies offsite — whether on another VPS, in a separate datacenter, or with cloud providers like S3 or Wasabi.

3. Keep Multiple Versions

Don’t rely on a single backup. Maintain a version history (daily, weekly, monthly) so you have options if something goes wrong unnoticed.

4. Secure Your Backup Data

Backups often contain sensitive files and databases. Always use secure transfer protocols, limit access with proper permissions, and consider encrypting the data — especially in regulated industries.

5. Test Your Restore Process

A backup isn’t useful if it doesn’t restore properly. Periodically test your restore process so you aren’t caught off guard during a crisis.

6. Monitor for Failures

Even automated systems can fail silently. Watch logs and set up alerts to notify you of issues like disk space problems, permission errors, or failed sync attempts.

7. Customize Your Backup Plan

Not every project needs the same backup strategy. A basic blog may be fine with weekly snapshots. A busy eCommerce site might need hourly database dumps and daily full-site backups. Align your strategy to your use case.

Simple Backups Are Better Than No Backups

Our backup tutorial demonstrates a beginner-friendly method using rsync and cron. It’s ideal for users who want to get something in place quickly — but it does have limitations:

• No versioning or historical rollback
• Mirror deletions (if you delete a file on the source, it’s gone from the backup too)
• No alerts or error reporting
  

As your needs grow, consider transitioning to more advanced tools like JetBackup, Acronis, Restic, or BorgBackup.

Final Thoughts

No matter how stable your hosting environment may be, having a reliable backup strategy is non-negotiable. Backups aren’t just a convenience, they’re your safety net when the unexpected happens.

If you’re on RackNerd’s shared hosting or reseller hosting platform, we’ve got you covered with daily offsite backups handled automatically via JetBackup and securely stored offsite with Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage (30 day retention period). You also get full transparency and control — you can log into cPanel at any time to view, restore, or download your backups locally by going to the JetBackup interface within cPanel. Even still, it is good practice to periodically download your own copies, especially for important milestones or critical data, for added peace of mind.

If you’re hosting with another provider, be sure to ask questions and verify. Not all providers offer offsite backups, and many do not provide end-user access. Never assume backups are happening unless you can confirm it directly.

For VPS and dedicated server users, backups are almost always self-managed (especially with unmanaged services). These environments offer flexibility and control, but that also means the responsibility to protect your data falls squarely on you. While some providers may advertise backups to be included on such product lines, they’re often limited, unreliable, or inaccessible in emergencies. 

It’s also worth noting that across the entire hosting industry, it’s standard practice for providers to include clauses in their Terms of Service stating they are not liable for data loss or corruption (even if backups are taken by the provider). That means regardless of your hosting type, it’s ultimately up to you to ensure your data is properly backed up.

Whether you’re using simple tools like rsync, or advanced solutions like JetBackup, Acronis, or BorgBackup, the most important thing is to have a backup strategy you trust (and one that you control).