A backup is a copy of an Internet site that is kept on an independent server and could be restored if something wrong happens with the live Internet site - a failed script update, an unintentional deletion of a file or of your whole database, and so forth. Restoring the site the way it was will eliminate or limit the damage the problem may have caused, that's by all means a certainly better option than having to reconstruct your entire Internet site from scratch. Though you may download a copy of your content on your laptop or computer, keeping a backup is a feature that most hosting providers incorporate as part of their plans. It is important to take a look at how often they do that, though, because some companies create a backup once every few days, that could be far from enough for a booking site or an e-commerce portal in which the info is updated every day. Make sure that you see how fast and easy a backup could be restored, which can be vital if some issue appears on your Internet site.