WordPress failure… data loss… how to backup/restore

I have zero anxiety about my non-CMS websites in regard to data loss. If an HTML page is lost, I just upload it again from my hard drive.

BUT… I have clients that want CMS. I had some of them on a hosted WordPress installation. (WPMU)… the database corrupted and I lost everything. I did restore the database from backup, but it didn’t seem to work correctly.

Here’s the obvious question: If I develop a site for a client using WordPress… and lets say they add thousands of posts and other types of data over the next few years. Can I have zero anxiety that I’ll ever lose that data? What’s the ‘slam dunk’, very simple method of backup AND restoration?

I had a bad experience with WordPress… though I’m sure I could have done something differently.

Also, what scares me further is that I believe the WP installation was compromised well previous to the final failure… though not catastrophically… BUT, later on when it did corrupt and fail entirely, I could only restore to the previously semi-corrupt installation. Meaning, I wouldn’t know how to start from scratch, resolve my installation issues and restore everything.

OH… and here’s the kicker… here’s why I couldn’t restore all my backed up data… my server would only allow 8mb of data to be uploaded. I heard this can be tweaked via php.ini, but I couldn’t figure it out.

So, do you see why I’m nervous? Can anybody alleviate my fears? I don’t want any upset clients!