Hosting plans do not include backups. Without the add-on you are relying on copies you take yourself. Managed Backups is the managed version: automatic copies of the whole plan, encrypted before they leave the server, stored off-site, restored from your dashboard.
What is copied
Everything in the plan's account on the server: website files, databases, configuration and mail settings. It is a full copy, not a file list, so a restore puts the account back exactly as it was.
How often, and for how long
| Setting | Default |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Daily, each morning (Australian eastern time) |
| Retention | 90 days |
| On-demand copies | Unlimited, from the Backups page |
| Storage | All plan data, no cap |
Weekly is available instead of daily; ask in a ticket if you want the schedule changed.
Where the copies go
Each archive is encrypted on the server before upload, then sent to dedicated off-site object storage that is separate from the machine running your site. The storage provider only ever holds ciphertext. The key that can decrypt an archive never leaves phas infrastructure.
Using it
Open the plan under Hosting and click Backups. The page shows the schedule, retention, and a history of every copy with its date, size and result. From there you can:
- take a copy now, before a risky change — see Take a snapshot before a change
- restore any copy in retention — see Restore a backup
- delete a copy you no longer want, which removes the stored archive
For a single file or table, or a copy of an archive to keep yourself, see Recover one file, or download an archive.
When the add-on ends
Switching the add-on off pauses scheduled backups at the end of the billing period. Copies already taken stay until they age out of retention, and can be handed to you on request during that time. If the plan itself is cancelled, its backups are removed with it, so ask for any archive you want before the end date.