Setting Up Off-Site Backup Storage

This article explains how to set up off-site backup storage to automatically send copies of your website backups to external cloud services.

What Is Off-Site Backup Storage?

Off-site backup storage means keeping copies of your website backups in a location separate from Web60's servers. This creates an extra layer of protection by storing your backups with services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3.

Step 1: Access Your Backup Settings

Log into your Web60 account dashboard
Click on your website name
Navigate to the "Backups" section
Click "Backup Settings" at the top of the page
Scroll down to find "Off-Site Storage" options

Step 2: Choose Your Storage Provider

Web60 supports several cloud storage services:

Google Drive - Free 15GB storage included with Gmail accounts
Dropbox - Free 2GB storage, popular with businesses
Amazon S3 - Pay-as-you-use storage, very reliable
Microsoft OneDrive - Included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions

Click "Add Storage" next to your preferred provider.

Step 3: Connect Your Cloud Account

A new window will open asking you to sign into your chosen cloud service
Log in with your cloud account credentials
Grant Web60 permission to access your storage
The window will close and return you to the backup settings page
Your connected storage will now appear in the "Connected Storage" list

Step 4: Configure Backup Settings

Select which types of backups to send off-site:
- Full backups (recommended) - Complete copies of your entire website
- Database only - Just your content and settings
- Files only - Just your images and uploaded files
Choose how many off-site backups to keep:
- 7 days - Keeps one week of backups
- 30 days - Keeps one month of backups (recommended)
- 90 days - Keeps three months of backups
Click "Save Settings" to activate off-site storage

Step 5: Test Your Setup

To verify off-site storage is working:

Create a manual backup by following the steps in How to Create Manual Backups
Wait 10-15 minutes for the backup to complete
Check your cloud storage account - you should see a new folder called "Web60-Backups"
Inside this folder, you'll find your backup files with timestamps

Managing Storage Space

Website backups can be large files (typically 50MB to 500MB each). Monitor your cloud storage space regularly:

Check how much storage you're using in your cloud account
Reduce the number of backups kept if you're running low on space
Consider upgrading your cloud storage plan if needed

Off-site backups happen automatically based on your scheduled backup times.

If you're still stuck setting up off-site storage, contact Web60 support through your account dashboard. Include which cloud service you're trying to connect and any error messages you see.

FAQ

Q: How long do off-site backups take to upload?

A: Upload times depend on your backup size and internet connection. Typical backups take 5-30 minutes to appear in your cloud storage.

Q: Can I connect multiple cloud storage services?

A: Yes, you can connect up to 3 different storage providers and Web60 will send backups to all of them.

Q: What happens if my cloud storage gets full?

A: Web60 will send you an email notification when uploads fail due to storage limits. Your regular Web60 backups will continue working normally.

Q: Can I download backups directly from my cloud storage?

A: Yes, but it's easier to use the Web60 dashboard. See Downloading Your Backup Files for the recommended method.

Q: Are my backups encrypted in cloud storage?

A: Yes, all backup files are encrypted before being uploaded to your cloud storage provider.

Q: How do I disconnect a cloud storage service?

A: Go to Backup Settings, find your connected storage, and click "Remove" next to the service you want to disconnect.

Q: Do off-site backups cost extra?

A: Off-site backup functionality is included with Web60. You only pay for the cloud storage space you use with your chosen provider.