We use the Veeam.com version of the NIST.GOV data backup standard

It’s your data. This is the one area of our MSP services where we require your involvement.   

Our process follows NIST.GOV standards;

  • Raid 5 server storage system
  • 3 copies of any important file: 1 primary and 2 backups
  • 2 different media types to protect against different types of hazards
  • 1 stored offsite (e.g., outside your home or business facility)
  • 1 copy is offline
  • The backups are “binary” bit by bit verified against live data for a match.
  • 0 errors after monthly or quarterly backup recoverability verification (the customer must do this)

Image is from NIST.GOV. (Except for the red comment)  It is exactly what we do.

 

Step 0 (zero) is NOT “binary” backup integrity verification, it’s recovery “real world use” verification. 

Our backups are “bit by bit” tested against the live data. That’s backup verification. That’s not step ZERO. We are taking about the  added step of RECOVERY VERIFICATION BY USE

Every month or every quarter, the customer must erase a file and ask us to recover it. It can be as simple as a cake recipe. (A term we use)  The reason the customer must do this is backed by NIST standards. It’s not enough to test receovery. One must plugged the recovered data in the related application and test system performance. You understand your application performance better that we do. The tested recovery data may be trade secret, hippa restricted or contain other data we are not authorized to see.  We can recover a file and see it’s name and file size. We can’t evaluate the quality of it’s recovered contents as it’s used by your application.

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If you won’t or can’t invest in this

1) Purchase at least a RAID 1 drive system for your server. It’s just two drives.  (google this for details)

2) Perform a simple external disk drive rotation.

  • A sufficient external drive cost less than $100.
  • Using a USB 3.2 Rev 2 connection, they backup data at over 5GB  per minute. Most backups take less than 1 hour. This process also keeps you involved in understanding how your data is organized. Maintaining well structured and updated documents on your premise or cloud server helps your employees efficiently retrieve data required to do their jobs.

This xTB drive is an  offline and offsite copy rotated by the customer.  It backups at 1 GB/minute.

A 3.2 USB drive has been is tested to transfer at at 10GB/minute in our lab tests. This means the process can be done in 10 minutes for most customers.  Backup and do some exercise at the same time ! Set a routine.