Data protection and recoverability
Backup and data recovery
A backup has value only when the required data and services can be restored within an acceptable time. I design backup around data importance, required history and the real procedure for returning operations to service.
Backup is not the same as recovery
A successful backup job does not prove that data is complete, readable and usable. Copies must be separated from production, their status monitored, recovery tested and the order of restoration understood.
What I can cover
- Backup design for servers, virtual machines, working data and configuration
- Local, separated and remote copies according to data value and volume
- Retention rules, versioning and protection against accidental deletion
- Backup encryption and restricted access to backup storage
- Monitoring of backup results and alerts for errors or unusual conditions
- Regular recovery tests for individual files and complete services
Common backup mistakes
- The backup is permanently connected and can be affected by the same incident
- Nobody knows how long recovery takes or what must be restored first
- Backup jobs report success but recovery has never been tested
- Retention is too short for a late-discovered error or data corruption
A design based on RPO, RTO and actual data value
We determine acceptable data loss, acceptable downtime and restoration priority. Backup frequency, copy count, retention and capacity follow from these requirements rather than from a generic template.
The solution includes a documented and regularly verified recovery procedure. For critical services, decision responsibility, required credentials and validation of the restored state should be clear.
Outcome
Data is not protected only formally. There is a known recovery procedure, ongoing control and a realistic understanding of how long it will take to return after an error, failure or attack.