Five questions to answer today
- Where are the backups? If they are on the same server, a server failure takes them too. You need at least one copy off-site.
- How often are they taken? The gap between backups is the amount of work you could lose.
- How long are they kept? Some problems are only noticed weeks later.
- Are they encrypted? Backups contain all your data.
- When were they last restored? If the answer is “never”, test one this week.
How to test a restore safely
- Pick a backup — A recent one and an older one.
- Restore to a copy — Never over the live system.
- Check it works — Log in, open records, place a test order.
- Time it — How long would recovery take?
- Write it down — A step-by-step recovery note.
Questions we get asked
How often should backups be tested?
A restore test every few months is a sensible minimum, and after any big change to your systems.
What’s the difference between a backup and disaster recovery?
A backup is a copy. Disaster recovery is the tested plan and process to get running again from it.
Something else on your mind? Ask us directly →
