FAQ about Data Backup and Disaster Recovery

Business techonologies can be so complicated in today’s businesses that even if you’re using a great disaster recovery solution, recovery can be a real challenge. So what can you do to make any recovery easy? Plan ahead.

When you approach your backup and disaster recovery solution, think about how your backup and disaster recovery plan integrate with the business’s overall IT environment. Determine how together, they can create solid business continuity. Consider what you need to know about your IT environment ahead of time in order to guarantee recovery. The depth of evaluation may seem daunting, but if you take a little extra time at the beginning, you’ll save tons of time and money in the end.

As you begin to plan your critical backup and recovery solution, some questions require careful thinking. That’s where TCSP comes in. Here are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

What data do I need to backup?

We recommend that you backup more than you need as some data may be overlooked. You can always remove files later from your backups but you cannot retrieve data you never backed up.  Performed full image backups and incremental backups.

How much storage do I need?

At a minimum, TCSP recommends to plan your existing data size x 3 as your required storage.  Remember you will have multiple copies of the same data and full images for servers.  Depending on how often your backups run and what level of multi-version backups is required for your business, storage requirements vary. The more storage space available the better.

How do I know my backups are working?

There are several ways to check the status of your backup.  Depending on your backup solution, reporting on a daily basis can be emailed to an assigned backup operator.  If your backup solution offers anytime-anywhere access, check your backup status by logging on to the website or by using your mobile device. Check backup solutions frequently, they do fail from time to time.

How often should I do my backups?

How often do you update your data?  TCSP recommends to do daily backups at a minimum.  Consider doing full image monthly backups of your servers.  Workstations backups on a daily basis when necessary as well.

Is my backup data protected?

Typically, data is encrypted with the highest encryption technology available and password protected for double protection.  Keep this information safe as you will need it to restore the data when the time comes.

What other recommendations should I follow for my backup plan?

Monitor. Monitor. Monitor.
The most common fault we find with backups is that end users assume backups are taking place but never bother to check.  Data corruption or data loss can strike at any time.  Be proactive and do check the status of your backups.  Often, end users place responsibility on the least qualified person to monitor and troubleshoot the backups.  Have a professional help you plan your data backup and disaster recovery in a way that best works for your business.  TCSP offers planning, monitoring and reporting services for your business.  Always test your backup system to recover files from time to time.

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