Online store owners need to make regular backup copies of their online store software for protection against problems with the server, or loss of settings and/or data.

The best, safest, and most effective way to back up an online store program is to FTP a copy of the entire store root folder to a local computer. This copy may just be saved on the local computer, but a better policy is to store it on an external drive, or burn it onto a DVD-ROM. This method preserves all the configuration and customizations of the shopping cart software.

A backup copy may also be stored in a safe location on the server itself, for quick access to the files if needed. However, in the event of a server problem, such a backup copy may be lost or compromised, or become unavailable. Hence, the recommended solution is to maintain the primary backup of the online shopping cart program somewhere external to the server, such as on a local computer and/or on local external media.

The same is true for the online store software database. Most good shopping cart programs and online store solutions provide database backup tools, usually in the Admin area. However, the same caution applies here as in the preceding paragraph. Saving a backup on the server is convenient, and somewhat faster to access if needed. But if a problem occurs with the server, the backup files stored on it may become corrupted to some degree, and may become completely unavailable. Backups stored externally from the server will be unaffected by server issues. Therefore it is preferable to maintain the primary backups of shopping cart software and online store program databases remote from the server.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: a full backup of an online store program or shopping cart program requires backing up both the complete set of the files of the online store program from the server and the complete shopping cart software database (customer/order information, etc.) as well.