Belt and braces is a term used for many things. Personally, when it comes to backing up websites, your computer, your files, media and memories, belt and braces and then some is what I’ve learnt to focus on.

It’s a little similar to this…

Question: What’s the best camera in the world?

Answer: The one you have with you at the time.

Following on from that…

Question:What’s the best backup in the world?

Answer: The one you use day in and day out.

This is why Apple’s Time Machine works so well. Plug in a hard drive to your Mac and forget about it which is what I’ve been looking into for some websites, both personal and for clients.

VaultPress is something which has been on my radar for while, and I’ve now installed it on here. Verdict? Just what I wanted. The sign up was painless and yes it does cost a small amount per month, but worth it in my opinion. Once you have signed up you get a special key which you use in the plugin to activate the service. The plugin is downloaded in the normal way from the backend of WordPress.

That’s it. It immediately starts backing up the site, tells you what’s happening in real time in the form of a small unobtrusive toolbar, and you can log into your own dashboard to get even more information. It offers one-click database install, and even has a “Concierge Service”:

When you install the VaultPress plugin, it opens a channel for our security and backup specialists to directly protect your critical WordPress sites. Our WordPress experts will help you with initial setup, restoring your files, and any needs in between.

Now I realise that there are plugins which download the WP database and there are plenty of other solutions (free as well). What I wanted was truly hassle free plus have the support of the VaultPress team if something went south. The fact that VaultPress is owned and run by AUTOMATTIC who happen to run a few blogs over at WordPress.com is real peace of mind.

It’s only been running for a few days, but I am really impressed, and judging by the testimonials from people, I am not alone. (Full disclosure, I am not paid to write this post, just a happy customer!).

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