TYPO3 Disaster Recovery: A Guide for When Things Go Wrong

Before you can recover, you need something to recover from.

The 3-2-1 Rule

• Keep three copies of your data. Store them on two different types of media. Keep one copy offsite. This isn't paranoid - it's minimum viable protection.
• For TYPO3, backup your database and fileadmin folder at minimum. But really, backup everything - the entire installation, extensions, and configuration. Storage is cheap. Downtime isn't.
• Backup frequency depends on what you can afford to lose. Daily for most sites. Hourly for busy shops. Weekly for static corporate sites. Match frequency to actual needs.

Testing (The Part Everyone Skips)

A backup you haven't tested is just wasted disk space. Monthly, pick a random backup and restore it to a test environment. Check everything works - not just the homepage. Test forms, images, backend login, critical features. Document what breaks. Fix it before it matters.

When disaster strikes, you need a documented process anyone can follow.

The Contact List

Start with who to call. Your hosting provider's emergency number. Domain registrar support. That freelance developer. Your boss's mobile. During a crisis, you need answers fast.

The Recovery Steps

Write exactly what to do, in order:

1. Assess: Figure out what's broken. Is it just the frontend? Can users log in? Is the database responding? Know what you're fixing before you start.
2. Communicate: Tell stakeholders what's happening. Set expectations. Update them regularly.
3. Stop the bleeding: Take the site offline if compromised. Show a maintenance page instead of errors. Prevent further damage.
4. Execute recovery: Based on the problem type. Different problems need different solutions.

Recovery Time Objectives

Decide in advance how fast you need to recover. Can your business survive 24 hours offline? Four hours? This determines your infrastructure investment. Be realistic - instant recovery costs serious money. Most TYPO3 sites handle a few hours of downtime better than the ongoing cost of high-availability infrastructure.

Hacked Sites

When hacked, trust nothing. Attackers hide backdoors and create hidden admin accounts.

Start with a clean TYPO3 installation. Restore your database from before the breach. Reinstall extensions from trusted sources. Review all user accounts. Check file permissions.

Change every password - admin accounts, database users, SSH access, and hosting panels. Enable two-factor authentication. TYPO3 supports it. Use it.

Database Corruption

Database problems announce themselves loudly - errors everywhere, backend won't load.

Try TYPO3's built-in database analyzer first. For serious corruption, you need backups. If you must recover without backups, export what you can. Some tables might be fine. Save content, user data, anything salvageable. Then rebuild, importing saved data carefully.

Server Failures

When servers die, you need somewhere to go. Keep a documented server setup guide listing every package, configuration change, and cron job.

Have a standby environment ready. It doesn't need production specs - just enough to run temporarily. Many providers offer quick deployment templates. Know how to use them before you need them.

After Recovery

Getting back online isn't the end. Run a post-mortem. Not for blame, but for learning. What worked? What didn't? Update your playbook based on experience.

If something was harder than expected, document the solution. Maybe you need more frequent backups or better monitoring. Every disaster teaches something if you're paying attention.

Making It Stick

Disaster recovery needs regular attention. Schedule quarterly reviews. Update contact information. Test new scenarios. Keep documentation current.

Run disaster drills. Pick a random Tuesday and pretend the site's down. Follow your playbook. Time for the recovery. Find gaps before they matter.

Train your team. Everyone should know where documentation lives and who to call. They don't need to be experts, just informed.

The Reality Check

Perfect disaster recovery doesn't exist. Something will go wrong that you didn't plan for. That's fine. The goal isn't perfection - it's reducing recovery time and stress.

Start small. Get basic backups running. Document your current setup. Build from there. A simple plan you actually use beats a complex plan gathering dust.

Remember, disaster recovery is insurance. You hope you'll never need it. But when you do, you'll be grateful it exists. The time to build your plan is now, while everything works. Tomorrow might be too late.

Your TYPO3 website will fail eventually. Not because TYPO3 is unreliable - it's not. But because everything fails eventually. Servers, humans, code - something will break. When it does, you'll either have a plan that works, or you'll wish you did.

Don't wait for disaster to teach you about recovery. Build your plan now. Test it regularly. Keep it simple. And sleep better knowing you're ready for whatever comes.