I have seen many times that if we build a website for a client then there is a possibility that this site gets changed over a period of time.I was thinking that from now onwards whichever site I make I will host a copy of the site on a personal server. Like client1.myserver.com so that even if they change it I have the copy of it.So that if I need to show someone or I need to refer myself few things I have the proof there.I will not make them public but will password protect it.I want to know whether this is legal and a good idea or not.
Is it legal or good idea to have a backup of all client sites on my own server
web development;web
I think that's a bad idea.I am not a lawyer, but to me this must be explicitly expressed in a legal document. You might do yourself more harm than gain benefits. If you develop software you are not responsible for the back up. If you want to keep the copy, that's another responsibility, which actually include far more than you might think now. Password protection is a weak argument. To start with, make it storage redundant, encrypt the data, secure access to it - that's hard work.Given malicious user gains access to your storage, he subsequently can hack into the sites you have developed, as he sees the code.Weight all the benefits and risks, check the license agreement, be extremely cautious and consult with an IP lawyer if you are to make a backup of the source code (or binaries).  For your portfolio, you can make a few GUI screenshots and then ask your employers to provide a reference for your work upon request from prospective employers. You are usually not allowed to tell many details about which specific work you have carried out by Non-Disclosure Agreement. 