Testing reliability

[NewAdm]

Does anyone have some ideas for testing backup strategy? We have all of this data backed up and I'd like to make sure I can use it when the time comes!

Thanks!

 

[JG5]

Great question. I do monthly user file testing and quarterly application / database restore testing. The day to day user requests for restores are retrieved from my magnetic libraries, but I restore monthly from tape before it goes offsite, and quarterly from tape when it is returned from offsite. The only way to ensure your backups is to create, enforce and finally test your policy. The only thing I do not test as part of my policy is Exchange. All of my quarterly testing consists of SQL databases and the associated application directories from the front end servers. I have a test SQL server that I restore the databases to and a test DEV server to restore the application directory to. After a successful restore, I have my DBA verify the database and functionality of whatever application was restored. All of this is documented in our case tracking system for later reference. Hope this helps.