Backup and migration are two sides of one coin: both deal with the value of your data, and both, done carelessly, manufacture one catastrophic day. A backup that has never been tested is not a backup; a migration that merely copies files will break the site. At PBDP we treat this service as precise data engineering: scheduled, multi-version backups of files and databases with tested restores, and complete website or server moves to new hosting with zero downtime, no lost mail and no drop in Google rankings. We apply the same method when migrating online stores with the most sensitive data of all, where one hour offline or one lost order maps directly onto the revenue sheet.

Why «just copying files» ruins both backups and migrations

A real backup needs three properties: it must be automatic and scheduled — because people forget on busy days — stored off the same server — so a host-level incident or a ransomware infection cannot swallow every copy at once — and its restore path must be proven; an untested backup is just a folder of confident-looking files. Migration is equally not a file copy. PHP version differences, database configuration, hardcoded URLs inside content, scheduled jobs, API keys and DNS records are the classic failure points. We inventory every dependency before moving and, after transfer, live-test forms, gateways and transactional mail one by one — even the SSL certificate has to arrive in working order.

Regular backups: insurance cheaper than the incident

Picture the bad day: you have been defaced, a plugin has corrupted the database, or a colleague has deleted the products table. The question will not be why it happened; it will be how old the clean copy is, where it lives and how long a restore takes. Our package answers all three: daily and hourly snapshots for high-transaction sites, off-server storage on separate infrastructure or object storage, and targeted recovery — the whole site, the database only, or one table. For WordPress projects this cycle is part of managed hosting; for dedicated and cloud servers it runs under a written policy. Copies are retained across daily, weekly and monthly windows so you can rewind to a point in the past, not only to yesterday.

What you receive

• A written backup policy: frequency, version retention and off-server storage locations defined in the contract, not improvised.
• Complete file and database backups: compressed and encrypted, with granular restore options.
• Periodic restore testing: a clean copy previewed on a temporary environment and a written readiness report.
• Full migration execution: files, databases, configurations and mailboxes carried across without data loss.
• SEO risk containment: one-to-one redirects and index monitoring after the switch.
• Emergency recovery: clear lanes for the incident day, aligned with our website maintenance and support plans.

How the work proceeds

1. Source assessment: data volume, application type, dependencies and known weak points surveyed.
2. Plan design: backup schedule and migration window chosen around your site's quietest hours.
3. Trial run: the complete copy brought up on the destination and previewed on a temporary address.
4. Final transfer: differential sync and DNS switch in the low-traffic window, watched end to end as in server management.
5. Verification and care: live checklist signed off, outbound mail monitored, and a watch week after cutover.

The migration types we handle

Moving between control panels, upgrading from shared hosting to a virtual or dedicated box, relocating web applications with background services, and consolidating several sites under one roof — each has its own craft. Sensitive WordPress migrations, especially stores heavy with order data, are core expertise; the same standards run through our managed WordPress hosting programme. If your site has sat on a tired host for years, that is a good reason to start right now: we take one complete backup, restore it onto a fresh environment and hand over a health report — many «legacy bugs» quietly dissolve during that process.

Frequently asked questions

Is migration really done without downtime?

Yes, using the parallel-copy and differential-sync method. The site is raised and tested at the destination, last-minute changes are transferred inside a quiet window, and only then does the domain switch. The practical ceiling is a few minutes overnight — in most projects, effectively zero.

How many backup copies are kept, and where?

The base plan keeps daily copies for a week, the professional plan adds weekly and monthly windows, and the organisational tier runs hourly snapshots with long-term retention — all off the origin server, encrypted, on separate storage. The exact destination, cloud or dedicated, is written plainly into the contract.

Do you back up mailboxes and databases too?

Yes. The backup scope is not just website files: corporate email mailboxes, databases and server configurations all fall inside the schedule. Restores are equally granular — a single deleted mailbox can be recovered without touching anything else.

To receive a backup plan matched to your data volume, or a migration run without stress, contact PBDP — the initial assessment of your source environment and a time estimate are free of charge.