Everyone agrees backups matter, yet many discover too late that theirs were incomplete or never tested. Here is how to do backups and disaster recovery properly.

Backups vs disaster recovery

A backup is a copy of your data. Disaster recovery is the plan to get everything running again after a failure. You need both — data alone does not restore a business.

Follow the 3-2-1 rule

Keep three copies of your data, on two types of storage, with one copy off-site. This protects against hardware failure, accidents, and site-wide disasters.

Automate it

Manual backups get forgotten. Automate them on a schedule so they happen reliably without anyone remembering.

Back up everything that matters

It is not just the database — include uploaded files, configuration, and anything you would struggle to recreate.

Test your restores

An untested backup is a guess. Regularly restore from backup to confirm it actually works and you know the steps under pressure.

Define your recovery targets

Decide how much data you can afford to lose and how long you can afford to be down. These targets shape how often you back up and how you recover.

Keep some backups offline

If attackers reach your systems, they may reach connected backups too. Keep some copies isolated so you can always recover.

Write the plan down

In a crisis, people forget steps. A simple written recovery plan — who does what, in what order — saves precious time.

The takeaway

Automated, tested, off-site backups plus a written recovery plan turn a disaster into an inconvenience.

Hedztech sets up backup and disaster recovery you can actually rely on. See cloud services and DevOps consulting, or talk to us.