Alun Barrett
Webcaretaker is a trading name for Alun Barrett. Web Designer based in Chamonix Mont Blanc.Alun manages websites for clients, providing security and backup services as well as updates to wordpress files, themes and plugins.Registered Micro Entrepreneur in France SIRET 89148403200026boss@webcaretaker.eu
General Questions
We only work with hosted full installations of WordPress.
- So if your site is based at wordpress.com then there are special functions there for you.
- If you have used your hosting company’s “express installation” then it will have been modified in some way and so is not a complete version.
In short yes. We will install a number of plugins and configure them. They will not change what your site looks like or the user experience. We will not change anything else on your site without your express authorisation.
No. There are a mass of hosting companies who specialise in WordPress so it would be crazy for us to compete.
Yes we can. This site is focused on WordPress Maintenance, but we also build new sites and develop existing ones. Talk to us about your needs!
No. There are free resources on the web to monitor website uptime (is your site available on the internet) and send alerts when your site is down. On this basis it is not worth you paying us to do it for you.
Rather than charge a “setup fee” to install new plugins and configure them we decide to spread that initial work over the first 12 months. Hence we ask that you pay the first 12 months up front.
WordPress Security
This is about making your site safe from intruders.
There is something you can check which will indicate if there is any security in place:
- When you’re at your login screen (the backend), have a look at the URL at the top of the screen. If it ends something like /wp-login.php or /login.php or /admin.php then you need additional security!
Over the past several years, the popularity of WordPress has exploded. Currently around half the sites out there use it. WordPress sites are a popular target for spammers, hackers, and internet creeps
A client recently got us to tighten up 3 of her 4 websites. She did not want to invest in the 4th site. Within 6 months the site we left got hacked by an Indonesian hacker going with the handle of SultanHaikal in order to create spam emails. The result was that all 4 sites were suspended by her hosts.
Yes we can. Each site is treated as a separate site, and so if you have 4 sites on your network you will be looking at 4 arrangements (1 per site).
In short Yes you can! There are a number of plugins available which will improve your website security. However, installing and activating a plugin is not enough; keeping your site safe is an ongoing process.
We can do a one off security tighten for you with no backups. However if you want us to look after your security on an ongoing basis then it will be tied to a backup package too (and vice versa).
If we look after your security we have to be in a position to fix your site if it is hacked or breaks. Likewise, there is little value in backing up a site which is inherently vulnerable.
There are a lot of smart hackers and spammers out there. Fortunately, there are also some very clever people here looking after your site. New threats appear all the time, and if you are unfortunate enough to be targeted then we will have the appropriate tools and data to fix your site.
WordPress Updates
When a WordPress security vulnerability is discovered, the developers patch it up and add it to the next release. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to make sure that your WordPress installation is up to date with the latest version. The same goes for Plugins and Themes.
You are right in that most core updates will happen automatically. It is very clever and sites are updated randomly so that if there is a problem the update can be stopped. Having said that not all updates will be automatic. Also someone needs to be on your site for an auto update to initiate.
Whatever the position we will make sure that your core WordPress files are up to date.
If a plugin which is active on your site has not had an update for a long time then you need to consider changing it. Generally there is always more than 1 plugin with the same functionality but if a plugin is not maintained in any way it presents a huge vulnerability for your website.
If your site is Plugin heavy or using obsolete Plugins we will let you know and suggest a course of action.
Yes we do. If at any stage you feel you have not received the service you have signed up for let us know and we shall give you back that month’s subscription.
In March 2015 an SEO Plugin by Yoast (used by over 14 million WordPress sites) was found to have a hole in it which hackers could exploit to get into sites.
This was quickly patched and an update issued. The vulnerability could have allowed access to all sorts of data including credit cards, emails and even medical records.
So, just because it works does not mean that it doesn’t need updating.
We will check compatibility of new updates with your site before installing, but rest assured that if your site breaks as a result we will be able to fix it.
Let us know in writing before your next payment and that is that. We will uninstall any additional elements of ours from your site and erase all your details from our system.
WordPress Backups
There are two elements of your WordPress website which require backing up. There is the database and the WordPress file system. We use a well known “Premium” plugin for this which is well supported.
We will talk to you and set a reasonable backup schedule based on your own personal or business needs. You may want your database backed up daily if you are blogging or changing your site on a daily basis. If, however, your site is a “brochure” for your business and changes very little in a year, then a less frequent backup schedule may be more appropriate.
Each time a backup runs on your WordPress website it uses up resources and will slow down your website. If a site is too slow to load, a user may decide not to wait and go elsewhere. Also your site speed, or lack of will affect your ranking on search engines. Hence, we talk to you to agree a reasonable schedule.
That may be enough if you know how to use it to get your website back up with just a database. If you do, then you probably don’t need our support at all.
We will backup your WordPress site locally to your webspace. If you would also like us to backup remotely, that can be done as well. There are numerous options for backing up remotely, some of which may incur additional costs depending on the size of the website.
In short, no. If you already have a way of backing up your WordPress site that is fantastic. We need to know that if anything goes wrong with your site we are in a position to get it back up as soon as possible. So I am afraid if you want our support, then we need to manage the backups – it is an all or nothing deal.
If you want access to your backups at any stage we will gladly tell you how.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WORK
Use the contact form to get in touch with any questions or concerns
- Alun Barrett
- boss@webcaretaker.eu
- SIRET 89148403200026
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