Backup Reality Check

Backup Reality Check

Turn vague backup confidence into a concrete restore-test checklist.

Status: Live · Processing: the restore-check logic runs locally in your browser. Describe the backup setup, be honest about the unknowns, and generate a copyable restore-test note you can drop into docs, a ticket, or your next maintenance pass.

This does not connect to backup systems or prove anything exists. It is a thinking tool for the part people skip: whether the backup can actually come back when something breaks.

Backup Reality Check tool

Privacy note: the checklist logic runs locally in your browser. Your form answers are not intentionally submitted to CyganLabs, stored in WordPress, or sent to a backup system by this tool. Like the rest of the public site, this page may still load normal WordPress, security, analytics, or ad scripts. Do not paste secrets here.

Describe the backup setup as honestly as you can. Unknown is a valid answer; the output should make missing facts visible instead of pretending the backup fairy handled it.

What is being backed up

Data type

Where backups live

Offsite copy
Encryption/key recovery

Could you recover the encryption key if the original host is gone?

Restore-test reality

Leave blank if unknown.

Coverage gaps

Secret warning: do not paste passwords, API keys, recovery codes, private keys, seed phrases, or other secrets here. This page does not need them.

Restore depends on credentials, keys, licenses, DNS, or similar access?

Fill in the form and generate a restore-test checklist. Required: service name. Unknown answers are allowed.

Empty state No backup reality check generated yet. Incomplete form warnings will appear here before the Markdown output when required fields are missing or too many answers are unknown.

When to use it

  • Before saying “we have backups” in a meeting, plan, or maintenance note.
  • When a self-hosted service, small business system, or personal archive has backups but no recent restore test.
  • When you need a quick checklist for database, files, config, keys, documentation, monitoring, and restore target reality.
  • When you want a copyable Markdown note for a ticket, runbook, or maintenance log.
  • When “unknown” is the honest answer and you need the missing facts called out instead of hidden.

What it does not do

  • It does not connect to backup providers, cloud accounts, servers, databases, storage buckets, or monitoring tools.
  • It does not verify that a backup exists, is complete, is encrypted, is restorable, or is compliant with anything.
  • It does not ask for passwords, API keys, private keys, recovery codes, seed phrases, tokens, or secret values.
  • It does not store backup details, create accounts, add tool-specific telemetry, or intentionally submit your answers. Normal site scripts may still load around the tool page.
  • It does not replace a real restore test. It helps you plan one, which is the boring-but-correct answer.

Related: Tools, Self-Hosting Backups and Recovery, and Self-Hosting Maintenance.

Scroll to Top