Are You Testing Your Backups for Recoverability?

Did you know that March 31st is World Backup Day? The day was created as a public awareness effort to encourage consumers to backup the important digital data in their lives. While it is safe to say that IT people don’t need a holiday to remind them of the critical importance of data backup, that doesn’t mean that they are doing everything right.

A recent survey from disk imaging solution specialist Macrium Software found that 78% of respondents have lost data over the last year, despite 73% having a backup solution in place at the time. And even more worrisome, 46% of those surveyed have never undertaken a test restore.

Testing is the long tail cost of disaster recovery planning, but it is one that is of the utmost importance. More and more organizations expect shorter Recovery Time Objectives (RTO). Cloud workloads can be large and complex and the recovery of a workload from a backup must be executed with 100% accuracy in a rapid manner. That is why it is also recommended that backups be tested regularly to ensure successful recovery when required.

Bottom line: how can you know, with confidence, that your backup and recovery plan will work if you don’t test it regularly?  This World Backup Day, take the time to make sure your recovery plan is one that won’t leave you stranded when you need it the most. And if managing data protection and testing is not part of your day job, be sure to thank the members of your team that do run point on that process. Whether you realize it or not, there is a lot going on in the background to make sure that your company’s data is safe, secure, and protected, and these teams often remain the “unsung heroes” until a disaster strikes.

If you are looking for assistance with your data protection processes, Trilio can help. Contact our team to learn more.