All guides
Running the business · 4 min read
What a website or system care plan should cover
Launch is not the end. What a care plan should include, the questions to ask a provider, and the signs that a system is running without one.
ZoolCoder
Why software needs looking after
Software keeps changing after launch: security updates, new browser versions, expiring certificates and domains, and small changes the business needs. Without a plan these wait until something breaks, and a customer usually notices first.
What a care plan should include
- Security and software updates on a schedule.
- Uptime monitoring that alerts someone when the site goes down.
- Backups, and a restore that has actually been tested.
- Renewal of domains and certificates before they expire.
- A monthly allowance for small changes.
- A short report of what was done.
Questions to ask a provider
- How fast do you respond, and on which days and hours?
- Who has access to our accounts, and how is access removed?
- Where are backups kept, and when was a restore last tested?
- What counts as a small change, and what becomes a project?
- If we leave, what do we get and how?
Warning signs
A system may be running without care if:
- Nobody knows when the last update ran.
- The domain or email is registered to a former employee.
- The site went down and you heard it from a customer.
- Nobody has seen a backup restored.
Where we can help
We review the site or system first, fix anything urgent, then keep it updated and monitored. Every site we run is on our public status board, so you can see the checks yourself.