Originally Posted by JadedTraveler

Bear in mind that the most valuable thing you have, once this gets going, is the content stored in the database. Be sure you have a means to regularly backup the entire database (include all postings and messages, the usernames, contact info for the users, etc. such that you can replicate the entire system on a different hosting site) and have the backups in your physical possession.

You want to do this in case the hosting provider goes belly-up, or is sold, or decides to hold your site hostage to price increases, or they just plain lose the data somehow. Don't believe the statements
'we back up your data so you don't have to ...'