The data center operates on a large amount of data, which is a disaster when the data is destroyed. This is the importance of regular backups. Even if you have a large amount of backup data that is not used, backup is definitely not a waste of time. You may be lucky and have never experienced data loss. However, since this kind of thing rarely happens and the integrity of the data is very important, it seems that there is no problem by "saving" time and resources by skipping backups.
Insiders said backup data center is very important, for this reason is very obvious, though I heard a small company's system administrator said some agencies did not "waste" of time and resources Backed up and achieved success. I don't think he understands why I was shocked by this statement and looked at him with disbelief. I hope that only one in a million people believe that backup is useless. I hope that most IT professionals trust the value of backups and only try to make the right backups.
If you have never used a backup for a disaster, you are lucky. However, due to the disaster, there is no timetable. When the disaster strikes, the latest backup is one of the lifesaving belts for successful disaster recovery. The point of many backup best practices is actually some common sense that everyone knows and uses. Regardless, here are some best practices for backing up:
1. Develop rules and procedures. Many technicians hate things like documents, but adequate regulations are the key to the success of any action. The rules and procedures for backups don't have to be a thick book. You only need to include these contents when you back up: when to back up, what needs to be backed up, who is responsible for backups, who can access backups, and so on.
2. Test the backups. This rule is a common sense. However, this issue is worth mentioning. Having a corrupted backup is definitely useless. Worse, you still think that this backup is good, can be used for disaster recovery, but the results can not be used. Therefore, to avoid this, always test the backup, especially when backing up important data.
3. numerals and backup arrangement. When you have 2 to 3 backup CDs, it's easier to guess what's on each disc. When you have a lot of PT data in various backup media, guessing is not enough. Therefore, you must mark each of your backups and arrange them in a library. Markup backups include the use of meaningful names, the date and time the data was backed up, the content of the data, who created the data, and some instructions.
4. Store your backups in a safe place. Your security regulations are likely to include backup storage content. However, if you do not include these, you must make these rules at the right time to correct the problem. A safe place is a broad term that usually means that the place where you store your backups is protected from illegal access and from physical damage from disasters such as fires, floods and earthquakes. Backup data is best not stored in the data center itself. However, if you do have a place to store your backups securely, you can store them there. Some data centers are like fortresses and are safer than others.
5. Real-time backup. The latest backups are always useful. For example, in the case of banks, online transactions, etc., only real-time backups are useful. Real-time backups do not require more resources. However, if your data is time sensitive, then real-time backup is just an option. Even if your data is not time sensitive, it has no effect on real-time backup.
6. Data backup is backed up. To add extra protection, you can back up the data you have backed up. It seems that you are backing up repeatedly over the course of a day, but for important data, backing up the backed up data is not a waste of time.
7. Use automation. Manual backups are a tedious task, although the current data center's use of manual backups is not unheard of. However, manual backups are rare because there are many automated tools available. If you don't have these tools, you need to get one of these tools, because that will make your life easier. However, don't forget to check the results of the backup, because automation is good (saving time and effort), but it is not good if you can't use backups that you can't use. There are very few errors in the backup tool, but you should not assume that this kind of thing will never let you run into it.
8. consider encryption. Backups contain sensitive data. Even if you don't worry about security, you should think about what might happen if an intruder wants to get backup data. Even if you take strict access control and the risk of someone else illegally accessing your backup data is very small, you still have to use encryption. Many automated backup tools provide reliable encryption. Why not?
9. know what to back up. If you can back up everything absolutely, it's best, but the absolute method is unrealistic. The second best way is whether you can omit data that can be ignored. In any case, you should classify your data according to its importance, at least regularly back up important data and very important data. Indeed, the more data you back up, the better. However, if your operation has serious limitations, you must ensure that important data is taken care of.
10. Destroy any backup media you no longer use. The used backup media you throw into the trash has a huge security risk, because unless you guarantee that the data on these storage media has been completely eliminated and you can't reply using any method, you are available to others. The opportunity to illegally access this data. The data on the old backup media may be old, but it is still data that cannot fall into the hands of illegal visitors.
11. reliable media. This is another common sense rule. If you use unreliable media for backups, this means you don't actually have a reliable backup. If you use media that can be reused, you should periodically check if the media is still ready for backup tasks. If you can't, you have to change it immediately.
12. regular backups. Backups take time and depend on the specific backup program you are using. Backups can affect the normal operation of your data center. You can't stop work in progress for backups. Indeed, backup tools generally do not have this requirement. However, some data cannot be backed up while it is running, and the machine needs to be stopped first and then backed up. If possible, plan the backup time for this data and back it up when the machine is not working (night and early morning).
13. Backing up virtual machines. Finally, one thing you shouldn't forget when doing a backup is a virtual machine. Backing up a virtual machine is not a separate science, but it does require some skill. So unless you don't need to back up your virtual machine, you'll have to spend some time learning some ways to properly back up your virtual machine. In some cases, some guidance is provided in the documentation for the virtualization solution vendor, but not every vendor. The techniques for introducing virtual machine backups are not all that detailed. Therefore, you need to be more serious when backing up your virtualization solution.
The list of data backup best practices is not exhaustive. Some best practices are easy to use in some situations, and some rules are always reasonable. In any case, backup is very important and can't be ignored. Therefore, you have to experiment with various methods and see which method is best for you. Trial testing is not the best strategy. Therefore, learn as early as possible to avoid some pitfalls.