Decide what must be recoverable
Select every component needed for recovery, preserve a separate copy, and treat a controlled restore as the real proof of a backup.
A website can need files, databases and mail from a compatible recovery point. At DirectAdmin User level, the Create/Restore Backups screen offers content selections; its backup may be stored under the account's backups directory. A backup on the same hosting account is vulnerable to the same account loss or storage failure. Confirm available disk space and keep an authorised separate copy.
Create and preserve a backup
- At User level, open Advanced Features, then Create/Restore Backups; names may differ by skin.
- Select website data, databases, email accounts and email data needed for your recovery goal. Start the backup and wait for completion.
- Confirm the archive exists, has a plausible size and can be downloaded. Store it securely outside the hosting account under your own retention policy.
- Record its date, included components and where the separate copy is kept. Protect it as sensitive data because it may contain site content and mail.
Restore with a rollback plan
Before restoring, capture the present state, identify the exact archive and check what a restore will overwrite. Schedule a maintenance window if customers may be affected. Restore selected components only where the interface and your recovery plan support that; then check site pages, database-backed functions, mailbox access and DNS-dependent services. A file's existence is not proof of a usable recovery: perform a controlled test where possible.
Who owns recovery
On unmanaged hosting, the customer owns website maintenance, backups and recovery. Managed arrangements may include backups with schedule, retention and recovery terms agreed during onboarding. Do not assume a specific retention period or guaranteed recovery point from the presence of this panel. Ask Novasean support before a destructive restore or if a backup is missing or corrupt.
Check the backup against the recovery goal
Static website
Check that the archive includes domain files and configuration. After restoration, a known page and asset should load over HTTPS.
Database-backed site
Check for the site files and a matching database at a consistent point. After restoration, a login or read-only transaction should work.
Mailbox recovery
Check for accounts, settings and message data. After restoration, confirm that an expected folder and sample message are present.
A downloaded archive that opens is stronger evidence than a filename alone, but only a controlled restore proves that applications and data can be brought back. Keep the backup away from the live account and control access because database exports and mail may contain personal data and secrets.
For example, a WordPress backup must pair site files with a database from a compatible recovery point. A restored home page can be cached, so verify a read-only database-backed page or login in an authorised test.
If restoration is incomplete
Do not overwrite the last working state repeatedly. Note the archive name, selected components, error and time, and preserve a copy of the current state. A site with files but no matching database may display a blank page or setup screen. Mail account settings without mail data may recreate logins but not messages. Compare the backup's recorded contents with what the restore UI selected. If an archive came from a different server version or account, ask support to assess compatibility before another attempt.
When a restore did not start, stopped partway or completed without a working application, follow the DirectAdmin restore-failure checks before another attempt.
Is the panel backup scheduled automatically? The user-level interface described by DirectAdmin does not itself schedule that backup. Check your service agreement for any separate managed schedule. Is a same-account backup enough? No; it may be lost with the account or storage.
Sources and technical references
Related guides
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