I’ve said this many times: back up your blog on a regular basis. Unfortunately, not many bloggers keep daily backups. It’s time-consuming, and it’s something that should really be automated. Unfortunately, it’s not very easy to roll your own automated backup system. You need a VPS, and the skills to setup a cron script that packages everything up (database included) and ships it off to a remote server, such as Amazon S3.
Automattic has the solution. Their new beta service, VaultPress, is a WordPress plugin that ensures all of your data is safe. It syncs your files to Automattic’s servers, as well as two other cloud services run by other companies.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Not only does VaultPress back up your data, it does it in real-time. If you upload an image or write a new post, it’s backed up within minutes. There’s no storage cap, and “[it’s] going to do more than just backup. The VaultPress engine will be able to push hotfixes to zero-day security vulnerabilities, for example.”
The service is currently in beta, meaning you don’t have to pay anything if you manage to snag an invitation. If their signup page is anything to go by, it will cost around $15/month. Not bad for a comprehensive off-site backup plan.
Backups are essential when you’re running a website, and while $15/month may seem a little steep, it won’t after you have the inevitable server meltdown. As Mullenweg says:
The only thing I’d add for that is that I don’t want to entrust my backups to a free service. I want to know there’s a business on the other end whose livelihood is making sure my backups are 100% secure as long as I can pay them, not just until their VC funding runs out or they figure out how to monetize the eyeballs of all their free users.
