Technical backups and store data recovery

A backup helps recover data after an outage or an accidental change. Before restoring a store, establish what the backup contains, when it was created and how to preserve orders received since then.

What a store backup should include

Recovery may require product, order and customer data, images, content and settings. The operator also needs a compatible version of the application. A copy of the code alone does not include all the information created while the store is trading.

The data must form a consistent set. For example, a restored database may refer to images missing from the file backup. Checking that an archive exists is therefore no substitute for testing whether the store can be restored.

Why the backup date matters

A backup represents data at a particular point in time. A morning backup will not contain orders placed later that day. Restoring it without preserving newer data may remove those orders from the store dashboard.

Before recovery, identify what has changed since the backup and how to preserve it. This also applies to stock changes, shipping statuses and payments. Restoring the store database does not reverse transactions already processed by a payment provider or carrier.

Full recovery or a targeted correction

A deleted product description and a database failure need different responses. Editing the content or recovering a particular file may be enough. Restoring the entire store can affect data unrelated to the reported problem.

In your support request, explain what is missing, when it was last correct and what changes were made. Agree on the next steps with support before running another import or bulk edit that could make recovery harder.

How to check whether a backup is usable

A test restore in a separate environment helps establish whether the store starts and the required data is available. Check products, images, selected orders and settings. Real payments and customer emails should be disabled in the test environment.

The backup date, retention period and time needed for recovery are separate considerations. Confirm them for your service rather than assuming that “backup” means any previous version can be recovered at any time.

Technical backups in SYLS

Technical backups are part of SYLS maintenance. See the hosting and security page for the service scope. For a specific recovery request, contact support with the store address and a description of the problem.

A technical backup is used to recover the environment. A data export serves a different purpose, such as moving selected information to another system. If you are changing platforms, also read the store migration guide.