adminCloud Backup Snapshot and Disaster Recovery Checklist
Backup, snapshot and disaster recovery are related but not the same. A file backup helps restore data. A snapshot helps restore a server state. A disaster recovery plan tells you how to rebuild when the system fails badly.
Core principle
You need more than one recovery layer. A snapshot is convenient, but it should not be your only backup. A database dump is useful, but it may not include server config.
Checklist
- Identify critical data.
- Back up website files.
- Back up databases.
- Back up Nginx and service configs.
- Create provider snapshots before risky changes.
- Store backups outside the same VPS.
- Define recovery time objective.
- Define recovery point objective.
- Test restore process.
- Document disaster recovery steps.
Reusable lesson
Recovery is architecture. If your backup system cannot restore the business, it is incomplete.
When to Use This Checklist
Use this checklist when designing recovery for websites, VPS servers, WordPress, Docker services or AI automation systems.
Required Tools
Backup storage, VPS snapshots, SSH access, database export, config files, restore test environment
Before You Start
Do not rely on one backup method. Combine database export, file backup, config backup and provider snapshot where possible.
Structured Checklist Steps
- Identify critical data.
- Backup files.
- Backup database.
- Backup configs.
- Create snapshot before risky change.
- Store backup offsite.
- Define RTO.
- Define RPO.
- Test restore.
- Document recovery plan.
Verification Steps
- Files backup exists.
- Database backup exists.
- Config backup exists.
- Offsite copy exists.
- Restore process is tested.
Rollback Plan
If snapshot restore fails, rebuild from file, database and config backups on a fresh VPS according to the disaster recovery plan.
Common Mistakes
- Thinking snapshot equals full backup strategy.
- No offsite copy.
- No database dump.
- No config backup.
- Never testing disaster recovery.
Related Commands
mysqldump -u db_user -p db_name > backup.sql
tar -czf site-files.tar.gz /var/www/example.com
sudo cp -r /etc/nginx/sites-available ./nginx-config-backup
df -h
ls -lh