Re: course backup area and user private backup area, what's the difference?

Depends upon how 'paranoid' you and your teachers are!

I have preference to backup in two places - option available in backup preferences ... file area + designated area (DA).   DA is outside of moodledata/filedir/ and the backup filenames are humanly recognizable.  DA area not included in site backup when you include moodledata and teachers cannot get to those.

Related ... all in one server where DB is also on same server as code + moodledata ... DB's don't like to run out of space ... matter of fact, DB can get corrupted beyond repair if that happens.

Are backups deleted when course deleted ... yes, those in file area are - not the ones in designated area.   Now if you are the admin and only teacher in the site, you *never* make mistakes, right?

Then there is recyclebin - known to cause havoc when there is a space crunch.

Am probably more paranoid than most ... having had the unforunate experience (years ago) of not having backups and site took an un-recoverable dive!

Only consolation ... it was my own and other teachers/students were not affected.

Bottom line: better to have a backup than not!   You decide how paranoid you are and how much you trust hosting + code!!!

'SoS', Ken