A backup is useful when the team can restore the required site state. Test the recovery process before an incident.
Identify the complete recovery set
Include content, media, database where used, configuration and deployment instructions. Record dependencies on external services. Keep credentials in an appropriate protected system rather than bundling them into publicly shared archives. Define how much recent data the business can tolerate losing.
Restore into an isolated environment
Use a test location that cannot send real customer notifications or overwrite production. Follow the written recovery steps from a selected backup. Check pages, files and forms against expected records. Record the time taken and any undocumented knowledge required from the original developer.
Maintain the recovery procedure
Repeat after significant platform or hosting changes. Keep several appropriate recovery points and control access to stored archives. Assign ownership for failed backup jobs and restore tests. Update the procedure whenever the test reveals a missing dependency, rather than treating successful file extraction as a full recovery.