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  1. #1

    Lets really find out about backups?

    So all after seeing all the threads having to deal with people's hosts losing a server and not having any real backups I figure it'd be interesting to have everyone list their expirience when they have needed a backup restored. So here is how it is going to go:

    Please list the date, host, and if they successfully restored a backup or couldn't restore your site.

  2. #2
    Okay this thread wasn't meant to discuss the theory of hosts doing backups but for people to list which hosts have actually restored or lost a backup.

  3. #3
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    I had a previous site on Resellerzoom and they were able to successfully bring the site back up from a cancellation days before. They do daily and weekly.

    (am I on the right topic?)


  4. #4
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    I had an unforgettable one with my previous experience with TurnkeyResellers
    (TR) when Robert Saylor was not the owner there at that time. ;o) (I am sure TR
    is much better now when purchased back by Robert.)

    My dedicated server with them crashed and had to restore from the my 2nd hard
    drive the cPanel backups. Unfortunately, we did not know that the Cpanel backup
    system failed (not really backing up) and the backups where about 1.5 months
    old when restored!

    Yes backup files are restored but the files are not updated. Glad that we have
    our own backups at our local computers and fixed the problem.

    From then on, we have to check the cPanel backup system if its working and
    saving on the 2nd drive. You can never trust it based on experience.

    Last edited by cpsitesaver.com; 10-10-2006 at 02:02 PM.
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  5. #5
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    I would not and have not ever relied on any hosting provider I have ever used to manage backups for my sites.

    I prefer to setup cron to do a daily and a weekly backup and I download it to my local machine.

    It also depends how much of a novice you are - I've had my sites for 7 years and I've always kept certain software available on the sites backed-up local and on on CD/DVD.

    Some people maybe have to reply on hosts for backups as they don't have the connection or bandwidth limitations maybe for downloading daily/weekly local copies but, I'd always (where possible) have local backup, just in case ...

    It isn't worth the heartache of finding out how good/bad your host is of restoring backups if and when they need arises, be prepared yourself
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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yapluka
    In this case, the backup issue had nothing to do with TurnkeyResellers / DHS as your dedicated server was not managed
    I remember now Marie. I think this was an issue with the backup setup not configured properly by my server admin back then. I think it was you who pointed this out also when you guys finally get the backups restored.

    Thanks for the clarification.

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  7. #7
    I guess some people are illterate as they can't read the actual topic of this thread, please actually read what you are supposed to discuss on this topic instead os just saying "duh, backups are good"

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by RossH
    I guess some people are illterate as they can't read the actual topic of this thread, please actually read what you are supposed to discuss on this topic instead os just saying "duh, backups are good"
    Host: Servage | Date: Ongoing | Status: No backup facility (user created backup cron scripts fail everytime).

    I was going too use these as my host (used as storage at moment) but, with no backup ability - I refuse to use them - found out after paying for 6 months - Mental note to self: cancel soon
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  9. #9
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    I don't think RossH (the OP) is rude. He asked *webhosting clients* to talk about their experiences and most of the posts on this thread are useless self-promoting posts by hosting companies.

    Regarding my actual experience, I don't want to name the host because they were nice enough to refund 3.5 months of backup fees after this event. It was about 2 years ago, I was paying for a backup account on their backup server with RAID 5 storage. I used it for not just current but older backups too, up to 6-12 months old. One day I logged in and the whole account was empty, I opened a support ticket asking whether I logged in to the wrong place, and they told me "oh yes, the array wiped last week, we lost all data on it"... and then they told me it's meant for short-term backups only, like for a day or at most a week. To which I told them that's not what I was told when I signed up for it and that it's no use to me this way, and demanded a refund for a completely useless service. As I mentioned at the beginning, they were nice enough to refund about half the time I was paying for this service.

  10. #10
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    To answer your question, I have been with Micfo for 3 years, during that time I have twice needed a restore and it was uneventful. A trouble ticket was opened, in short order they responded to verify the date I needed restored to and a short while later it was done.
    "Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property... Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them." - Thomas Paine

  11. #11
    Mods,

    Can someone please clean up this thread with all the promotion from hosts going "we do backups". That wasn't even near the intent of this thread and I view it was a self promotion.

  12. #12
    Join Date
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    Please list the date:
    September, around the middle of the month.

    host:
    http://webkore.net

    and if they successfully restored a backup or couldn't restore your site:

    Yes, they were able restore it in 6 hours, give or take an hour.
    <<< Please see Forum Guidelines for signature setup. >>>

  13. #13
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    Mods,
    Can someone please clean up this thread with all the promotion from hosts going "we do backups". That wasn't even near the intent of this thread and I view it was a self promotion.
    Thread cleaned.

    Folks, let's keep the thread on topic!

  14. #14
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    Fasthosts does not do any backups at all.
    Michele Bugliaro Goggia, designer SUP in visual communication
    webmaster: www.ufopsi.com

  15. #15
    Join Date
    May 2003
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    New Hampshire
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    varhosting had month old back up they restored for me, nothing more recent.

    endreamhost.com didn't do a back up for months and when the server crashed was when I found this out. My customer lost his site because of this, but again he should have been backing it up too.

  16. #16
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    Energizedhosting restored a number of successful backups a couple years ago for me. It was perhaps my most positive hosting experience ever, with the exception of the downtime problems.

    edited for clarity

  17. #17
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    They should make it 'hosting law' that hosts have to clearly state if they do backups or not and if not then offer cron (most do anyway) so customers can do it themselves.

    It happens so many times that customers (maybe newbies, never bitten) find out the host doesn't perform backups but, had they been clearly told and or advised they could then be advised to do their own via cron (and a simply one line how too).

    It's good practice do do your own anyway, regardless.
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  18. #18
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    A few months ago my site monitoring services told me my site was unavailable. I asked my host for support and they told me they had to restart the server.

    While checking my site I found that some files were one week old. Obviously, they had to restore our files but used and old backup instead of the promised daily backup. They never told us what happened.

    Fortunately I had my own backups and lost just email and one important log file. I cannot remember which host I was using because I was moving my site by then and my new host turned out to be worse and I had to come back.

    There are two things that I would never trust to anybody: packing my parachute and doing my backups
    Last edited by freeflyer; 10-26-2006 at 11:03 PM.
    Gonzalo
    "To venture is to risk one's life; not to venture is to lose one's reason to live"

  19. #19
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    Canada
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    lost all my site info yesterday

    Hello
    I have a host netnation.com which I have used for three years. I just renewed my hosting for 2 years as my contract ends this December 2006.

    Net Nation upsold my plan and the new plan size is larger and then cancelled all of my existing data. I did not tell them to cancell my existing site or dump my data.

    When I talked to the support guy they said that they will have to look for the data on the back ups and usually there is a $100 charge to restore it.

    What is the responsibility of web hosts when they create the problem? Are there any legal precidents? If a car mechanic fails to install a $1.95 part on the brakes and an accident occurs - the courts award damages in the hundreds of thousands - not just the $1.95 part.

    I get paid ad fees from google - is the web host responsible for lost income?

    Any feed back is welcome - with my site completly gone I am not doing anything - so have lots of time to read your reply emails

    Baadstuff

  20. #20
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    Manila, Philippines
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    Quote Originally Posted by baadstuff
    Hello

    What is the responsibility of web hosts when they create the problem? Are there any legal precidents? If a car mechanic fails to install a $1.95 part on the brakes and an accident occurs - the courts award damages in the hundreds of thousands - not just the $1.95 part.

    I get paid ad fees from google - is the web host responsible for lost income?

    Any feed back is welcome - with my site completly gone I am not doing anything - so have lots of time to read your reply emails

    Baadstuff
    I think you need to check first the Terms of Service (TOS) or the Legal Pages of your host to find out how to deal with this. But most likely, you will find some surprising clause there that they (your host) may not be responsible for cases like this (even gross negligence on their part). Some host also only acknowledges liability up to the amount of money you paid the previous month or whichever fix amount stated in the TOS.

    TOS is key here. That's the contract you agreed on when you virtually signed up with them.

    Good luck then..
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  21. #21
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    The problem with this analogy is that while you will get recompensation for damages that occured, in the case of lost income on a website it's an "accident might have occured" case and not an "accident did occur", unless you have hard facts that stand up in court to prove that you lost this and that sum and that your hosting provider guaranteed you you won't (the mechanic does guarantee you that the break he installs in your car will work in case of an emergency, as long as used the way it is supposed to be).

    At any rate, I'm always stunned by cases where someone (even companies) chooses a budget hosting provider for 5 bucks a month when they make 10x or 100x that much in an hour. I don't want to defend irresponsible hosting providers, but OTOH I think that customers who shop for an important money making site that needs high availability and good backup and then shop based on price alone are irresponsible themselves.

    My recommendation to anybody with any kind of site that makes more than $50 a month is to first set down, analyze the costs of having 2 hours of downtime or losing data and having to go back to 5 days old backups, and shop for a hosting provider based on these criteria.

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