Database and file backup, Multi-Site compatible

I have been using BackWPUp on my and client Multi-Site installations.

1) It backs up both the database and (optionally) the files in folders you specify. Occasionally backup the entire WordPress installation, monthly your media folders, weekly your database, adjust the times for your frequency of changes and how upset you’d be if you lost something.

2) BackWPup is one of the few backup plugins I looked at that Does alert you if there was a problem. All I get now are warnings if I forgot to exclude a symbolic link (BackWPup tells you it doesn’t back up those folders, you should specify the actual folder not the link). In the past, BackWPup warnings were a big clue that led me to find the version of PHP on a server had a ZIP bug (crash without notice attempting to Zip/Unzip, also affected WordPress Updates). Has option to email you only if problem with a scheduled backup.

3) BackWPup does seem to correctly back up multiple terabytes. But Don’t store backups within the folders that will be backed up; it will backup your backup files, doubling the file size (hey, you told it to). Guess how I found this… Plus, never store backups in web-accessible folders, for security.

4) BackWPup has options for storing result file in several services including DropBox and Amazon S3 (I haven’t tested, will soon).

Do not ever leave SQL exports or backups where others could get them. Since most people create terrible passwords, hackers can get about 90% of passwords in MD5, what MySQL and WordPress use, in a day or less. MD5 is strong for unknown data, but people keep using the same simple ways of making passwords. See [ link redacted, please do not post links in reviews ] for how to protect yourself.