8. WPMU DEV Backups FAQs
WPMU DEV supports two ways to backup sites: hosting backups and backups created with our Snapshot plugin. The following FAQs may help members understand how these backups are different so they can choose an option that works best for their sites.
References to Snapshot in this document refer to versions 4.0 and above. The old Snapshot version 3 plugin has been officially retired and has been moved to our public repository on github. If needed, you can still grab a copy from there. See Retiring Our Legacy Plugins for more.
8.1 General FAQ
Copy chapter anchor to clipboardHow long are my backups stored?
Automatic and manual hosting backups are stored for 30 days. Backups made with the Snapshot plugin are stored for 50 days.
This means that a backup created today can be accessed, downloaded or restored for the next 30 days. On day 31, the backup is removed and cannot be recovered. Members can download backups any time during that period and store them wherever they choose for as long as they need.
Backups created with Snapshot have a longer lifespan than other backup types and are stored for 50 days, after which time they are removed and cannot be recovered.
Am I paying to store backups?
Yes. All backups stored on WPMU DEV servers use the storage provided by the member’s hosting plan, or the storage quota in their Snapshot backup storage plan.
Can backups consume enough of my storage space to create problems for my site?
In theory, this is possible, but practically speaking this only happens when
- 1) admins create an unusually large number of unnecessary backups (usually automatically), or
- 2) admins try to squeeze a large site into a hosting plan designed for something much smaller.
WPMU DEV tries to minimize the storage impact of backups by removing them after 30 days, or 50 days for Snapshot backups. If you are using Snapshot to create additional backups, you can configure the plugin to store a specific number of backups and when that number is reached, the newest backup will begin replacing the oldest in a rotation that limits the amount of storage space consumed to a reasonably predictable amount.
What happens to my backups if I disconnect my site from the Hub?
Your WPMU DEV hosted site backups, and those made with the Snapshot plugin, will reappear in your Hub for the site once you reconnect it, as long as they have not yet expired (30 days for WPMU DEV hosting, or 50 days for Snapshot backups).
You can also access all your Snapshot backups (until they expire) in the Addons section of your Account page, under All Backups.
If, for any reason, a WPMU DEV hosted site gets deleted from your account, you can also access any existing backups for it by recreating the same site. See Restoring a Deleted Site for more info on that.
8.2 Hosting Backups FAQ
Copy chapter anchor to clipboardWhat are hosting backups?
Hosting backups are incremental backups created every night, automatically, for all sites hosted by WPMU DEV.
An add-on is available for all hosted sites where you can have backups made every hour. See Hourly Backups in the Add-Ons section of Your WPMU DEV Account for details.
Can I create hosting backups whenever I want?
Yes. Manual hosting backups can be triggered from the Hub or configured to run automatically using our Automate feature. There is no limit to the number of hosting backups that can be stored, and backups triggered manually are stored in precisely the same manner as the daily automatic backups.
How long are hosting backups stored?
Hosting backups, both those made automatically and those triggered by users, remain in storage for 30 days. In practical terms, a hosting backup created today will be available for 30 days, and on day 31, it will be removed. If a site was backed up four times in one day, all four of those backups will expire on the same day, 30 days later. Hosting backups cannot be recovered after being removed. However, members can download hosting backups any time during those 30 days and store them elsewhere for as long as they choose.
Can I delete a specific hosting backup or disable them altogether?
No. Hosting backups can be downloaded and restored, but they cannot be disabled or deleted. The backup system we’ve built is state of the art in both reliability and efficiency, in large part, because it is built into our hosting framework. No matter what else occurs, if mistakes are made or catastrophic failures befall a site or a third-party storage provider, members whose sites we host can rely on us to provide a backup.
Where are hosting backups stored?
A copy of the most recent hosting backup is stored on the same server as the site to speed up subsequent backups. All other hosting backups, including Hourly Backups if that add-on is enabled for a site, are encrypted and stored in a remote datacenter in the same general region as your site (USA, EU, Canada, etc) and are redundantly stored on multiple devices across multiple facilities.
Can I change the hosting backup schedule?
No, the hosting backups on WPMU DEV run on a predefined schedule. Currently, you cannot change this fixed backup schedule time.
Am I paying for hosting backup storage space?
Yes, but only the hosting backups stored on your server use the storage space provided by your hosting plan. See Backups Storage for more.
Can I store copies of hosting backups someplace other than my site server?
Yes. Members can download copies of hosting backups and store them anywhere they choose. WPMU DEV cannot upload hosting backups to a third-party automatically, however. Members who wish to store additional backups elsewhere can move them manually (download/upload/FTP) or use Snapshot, which can be configured to create and upload backups to a number of popular storage providers automatically.
For more information on Hosting Backups, see the Hosting Backups documentation.
8.3 Snapshot Backups FAQ
Copy chapter anchor to clipboardWhat are Snapshot backups?
Snapshot is WPMU DEV’s premier backup solution for members whose sites we don’t host or members who want to upload backups to a third-party storage provider.
What’s so special about Snapshot v4 backups?
Snapshot v4 essentially makes our highly-reliable and efficient hosting backup system available to our non-hosted members. Snapshot v4 creates incremental backups identical to hosting backups, and the efficiency of these Snapshot backups allows us to store more backups for a longer period of time than we’ve been able to offer with previous Snapshot versions. Snapshots created with Snapshot v4 are retained for 50 days, and we keep a maximum of 30 manual backups and 30 scheduled backups before rotating older backups with newer ones.
Where are my Snapshot backups stored?
Snapshot backups are stored on WPMU DEV cloud servers, and use the storage space available in the member’s Snapshot backup storage plan. Every WPMU DEV member gets 10GB to start (except Free Hub members who get 1GB only), and upgrade plans for increased storage are available in the Addons section of your Account page.
8.4 Get Support
Copy chapter anchor to clipboardIf you still have questions or need assistance after reading this document, please don’t hesitate to contact our support superheroes using the available options under the Support tab in your Hub or via the Support tab in your WPMU DEV Dashboard.
