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Managing the backup process

It is important to understand that backup is a process. As long as new data is being created and changes are being made, backups will need to be updated. Individuals and organizations with anything from one computer to thousands (or even millions) of computer systems all have requirements for protecting data. While the scale is different, the objectives and limitations are essentially the same. Likewise, those who perform backups need to know to what extent they were successful, regardless of scale.

Objectives

Recovery Point Objective (RPO): The point in time that the restarted infrastructure will reflect. Essentially, this is the roll-back that will be experienced as a result of the recovery. The most desirable RPO would be the point just prior to the data loss event. Making a more recent recovery point achievable requires increasing the frequency of synchronization between the source data and the backup repository.
Recovery Time Objective (RTO): The amount of time elapsed between disaster and restoration of business functions.
Data security: In addition to preserving access to data for its owners, data must be restricted from unauthorized access. Backups must be performed in a manner that does not compromise the original owner's undertaking. This can be achieved with data encryption and proper media handling policies.

Limitations

System impacts: An effective backup scheme will take into consideration the limitations of the situation. All backup schemes have some impact on the system being backed up. If this impact is significant, the backup needs to be time-limited to a convenient backup window or alternate means of protecting data need to be employed. These alternate means tend to be more expensive.
Costs of hardware, software, labor: All types of storage media have a finite capacity with a real cost. Matching the correct amount of storage capacity (over time) with the backup needs is an important part of the design of a backup scheme. Any backup scheme has some labor requirement, but complicated schemes have considerably higher labor requirements. The cost of commercial backup software can also be considerable.
Network Bandwidth: Distributed backup systems can be impacted by limited network bandwidth.

Implementation

Meeting the defined objectives in the face of the above limitations can be a difficult task. The tools and concepts below can make that task more achievable.

Scheduling: Using a Job scheduler can greatly improve the reliability and consistency of backups by removing part of the human element. Many backup software packages include this functionality.

Some common excuses to why people don't backup

"I'm too busy to backup my computer." We are busy work, family and friends fill our days and leave us little time for boring things like computer maintenance. But today's backup software manufacturers make it easy. Through scheduled backups , your system can automatically perform a backup that fits your needs at an interval you choose—without interrupting life.

"I don't know how to backup data." Like preparing for a natural disaster, most of us understand how important data backup is, but don't know where to start. A big step is deciding how you are going to store the data you backup.

One option is Removable Backup Media , but this only narrows the field a little. You could buy a million 3.5" discs or perhaps invest in a larger-capacity external Zip drive. You could take the plunge into writeable CDs or stretch out your legs with the help of an external hard drive.

"My computer won't crash." You've had your computer this long and haven't had problems so far why worry about computer backup now? Think about it you wear your seat belt even though you don't expect your car to crash everyday. Data backup is about protecting your data's future, but with computers, it isn't if you crash, it's when you crash.

In today's high-tech world of sneaky spyware and venomous viruses, you are in more danger of data loss than ever before.

Like tires on your car, the electronic circuits your computer rides on will eventually wear down and blow out. When this happens, you can either grieve at your loss or simply restore your data.

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