What is at risk.
WHY IT MATTERS
The database holds members, subscriptions, progress and payment records.
Losing it means losing who has paid for what.
WHAT TO BACK UP
Files and database, together.
HOW OFTEN
Daily for an active site.
Member and subscription records change constantly.
THE RESTORE PROBLEM
Restoring a database loses every registration, payment and progress record since the backup.
For a membership site, that means members who paid and no longer appear to have.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Frequent backups Restore files rather than the database where possible Keep payment records in your gateway as a cross-check
THAT LAST POINT
Your gateway holds a record of who paid.
That is your fallback if the site database is damaged.
WHERE TO STORE BACKUPS
Off the server.
WHAT TO TEST
That a restore works, on a staging copy.
