Shawn Oden PRO
I am a data / code monkey, who has developed an appreciation for good beer and good bourbon. I like to hear myself talk, and I'm trying to get better at letting other people hear me, too.
Shawn Oden | codefumonkey@gmail.com | codefumonkey.com
Schrödinger’s Backup
Is It Really a Backup If You Don't Know If You Can Restore It?
Who Am I?
MCSE: Data Management & Analytics
MCSA: SQL 2016 Database Administration
MCSA: SQL 2016 Database Development
Adobe Certified Professional: Adobe ColdFusion
Adobe ColdFusion Specialist
(Plus CFMX certs from Macromedia & Adobe)
CompTIA Security+
Currently hold a U.S. DoD Security Clearance
Shawn Oden
https://www.codefumonkey.com
What Is A Backup?
History of Backup Options
Why Do We Care?
What Is A Restore?
Why Do We Care About Those?
What Will We Talk About?
It's the process of making a copy of something to be used in case of a failure.
What Is A Backup?
Types of Media Storage
https://www.computerhistory.org/storageengine/roman-philosopher-pliny-describes-tally-sticks/
Types of Media Storage
1890 U.S. Census
https://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/overview/1890.html
Types of Media Storage
1890 U.S. Census
https://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/overview/1890.html
Types of Media Storage
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_IBM_magnetic_disk_drives#IBM_350
Types of Media Storage
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_IBM_magnetic_disk_drives#IBM_350
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
OPTICAL
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
OPTICAL
https://www.livescience.com/technology/electronics/new-petabit-scale-optical-disc-can-store-as-much-information-as-15000-dvds
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
Optical
SSD
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
Optical
SSD
USB
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
Optical
SSD
USB
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
Optical
SSD
USB
NAS
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
Optical
SSD
USB
NAS
RAID
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
Optical
SSD
USB
NAS
RAID
https://www.backblaze.com/blog/nas-raid-levels-explained-choosing-the-right-level-to-protect-your-nas-data/
Types of Media Storage
Tape
Hard Disk
CD-R
Zip Disk
Optical
SSD
USB
NAS
CLOUD
THE CLOUD!
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/cloud-computing-dictionary/what-is-the-cloud
Types of Media Storage
Which of these has been used as a data storage medium?
-
Frozen Ice Crystals
-
DNA Molecules
-
Soap Bubbles
-
Tree Rings
ANSWER: DNA Molecules ( 215 PB per gram )
FUN FACT
https://giving.columbia.edu/dna-hard-drive-future
Types of Media Storage
Which of these has been used as a data storage medium?
-
Frozen Ice Crystals
-
DNA Molecules
-
Soap Bubbles
-
Tree Rings
ANSWER: DNA Molecules ( 215 PB per gram )
FUN FACT
https://giving.columbia.edu/dna-hard-drive-future
The Zettabyte Era
https://cybersecurityventures.com/the-world-will-store-200-zettabytes-of-data-by-2025/
In 2010, the world surpased 1021 bytes of data.
The Zettabyte Era
https://cybersecurityventures.com/the-world-will-store-200-zettabytes-of-data-by-2025/
In 2010, the world surpased 1021 bytes of data.
In 2018, more than 1 exabyte, of new data daily.
The Zettabyte Era
https://cybersecurityventures.com/the-world-will-store-200-zettabytes-of-data-by-2025/
In 2010, the world surpased 1021 bytes of data.
In 2018, more than 1 exabyte, of new data daily.
In 2020, over 4.8 billion internet users.
The Zettabyte Era
https://cybersecurityventures.com/the-world-will-store-200-zettabytes-of-data-by-2025/
In 2010, the world surpased 1021 bytes of data.
In 2018, more than 1 exabyte, of new data daily.
In 2020, over 4.8 billion internet users.
In 2020, over 44 zettabytes of data.
The Zettabyte Era
https://cybersecurityventures.com/the-world-will-store-200-zettabytes-of-data-by-2025/
In 2010, the world surpased 1021 bytes of data.
In 2018, more than 1 exabyte, of new data daily.
In 2020, over 4.8 billion internet users.
In 2020, over 44 zettabytes of data.
In 2025, over 75 billion IoT Devices.
The Zettabyte Era
https://cybersecurityventures.com/the-world-will-store-200-zettabytes-of-data-by-2025/
In 2010, the world surpased 1021 bytes of data.
In 2018, more than 1 exabyte, of new data daily.
In 2020, over 4.8 billion internet users.
In 2020, over 44 zettabytes of data.
In 2025, over 75 billion IoT Devices.
In 2025, over 463 exabytes of data created each day.
https://cybersecurityventures.com/the-world-will-store-200-zettabytes-of-data-by-2025/
The Zettabyte Era
In 2010, the world surpased 1021 bytes of data.
In 2018, more than 1 exabyte, of new data daily.
In 2020, over 4.8 billion internet users.
In 2020, over 44 zettabytes of data.
In 2025, over 75 billion IoT Devices.
In 2025, over 463 exabytes of data created each day.
In 2026, almost 240 zettabytes of data.
https://cybersecurityventures.com/the-world-will-store-200-zettabytes-of-data-by-2025/
The Zettabyte Era
In 2010, the world surpased 1021 bytes of data.
In 2018, more than 1 exabyte, of new data daily.
In 2020, over 4.8 billion internet users.
In 2020, over 44 zettabytes of data.
In 2025, over 75 billion IoT Devices.
In 2025, over 463 exabytes of data created each day.
In 2026, almost 240 zettabytes of data.
What If Disaster Strikes?
How Can We Fix It?
https://www.infrascale.com/data-loss-statistics-usa
Speaking Of Fires...
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Tools
Prevent accidental deletes/changes and theft through endpoint monitoring, application filtering and automated encryption.
Data Quality & Observability Tools
Ensure that bad data doesn't impact your system. May focus on missing values or old information.
Hardware Monitoring & Performance Analysis Tools
Watch different hardware to forcast potential failures or bottlenecks.
Security Monitoring & Threat Detection Tools
Cybersecurity tools. Malware scanners, network traffic monitors, access logs, etc.
An ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure.
- Benjamin Franklin (1736)
A Disaster Recovery Plan?
Disaster recovery is a very broad topic, but is essentially a plan for how your organization will deal with a disaster.
Your goal is to keep your business running and to minimize down-time and loss.
https://www.ready.gov/business/emergency-plans/recovery-plan
A Disaster Recovery Plan?
RPO
Recovery Point Objective
How Much Data Can You Lose?
RTO
Recovery Time Objective
How Fast Can You Recover?
https://www.rubrik.com/insights/rto-rpo-whats-the-difference
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/netflixs-story-migration-aws-nilay-saraf/
Extreme Disaster Preparedness
Imagine a monkey entering a 'data center', these 'farms' of servers that host all the critical functions of our online activities. The monkey randomly rips cables, destroys devices and returns everything that passes by the hand [i.e. flings excrement]. The challenge for IT managers is to design the information system they are responsible for so that it can work despite these monkeys, which no one ever knows when they arrive and what they will destroy.
https://netflix.github.io/chaosmonkey
Extreme Disaster Preparedness
What Could Go Wrong?
Human Error
What Could Go Wrong?
Hardware Failure
Human Error
What Could Go Wrong?
Software Failure
Hardware Failure
Human Error
What Could Go Wrong?
Bad Configurations
Software Failure
Hardware Failure
Human Error
https://www.cobalt.io/blog/cybersecurity-statistics-2024
What Could Go Wrong?
Cyber Incidents
Bad Configurations
Software Failure
Hardware Failure
Human Error
What Could Go Wrong?
Natural Disaster
Cyber Incidents
Bad Configurations
Software Failure
Hardware Failure
Human Error
We should backup anything that we
DON'T WANT TO LOSE!
How Can We Be Safe?
How Can We Be Safe?
https://www.backblaze.com/blog/the-3-2-1-backup-strategy/
Full (all data)
Differential (since last Full)
Incremental / Transactional (since last backup)
Types of Backups
https://www.unitrends.com/blog/types-of-backup-full-incremental-differential
Full (all data)
Differential (since last Full)
Incremental / Transactional (since last backup)
Types of Backups
Snapshot (moment-in-time backup of a system)
https://www.unitrends.com/blog/types-of-backup-full-incremental-differential
Full (all data)
Differential (since last Full)
Incremental / Transactional (since last backup)
Types of Backups
Mirror (immediate copy of a running system)
Snapshot (moment-in-time backup of a system)
https://www.unitrends.com/blog/types-of-backup-full-incremental-differential
Kinda sorta, but not really.
Is Source Control a Backup?
Source control should be used in conjunction with other more-comprehensive backup solutions.
For many uses, it provides for duplicates, often offsite.
It gives a very granular history of your changes.
It allows for very rapid restores of code and other simple resources.
It's designed for text and code, but not data or large binary files.
Does not provide a complete backup of your systems.
The repository can be deleted or corrupted.
Important data should be backed up weekly.
How Often Should We Backup?
Data that doesn't change often should maybe be backed up at least monthly.
Transactional data may need to be backed up every few minutes or sooner.
Important data should be backed up weekly.
How Often Should We Backup?
Data that doesn't change often should maybe be backed up at least monthly.
Transactional data may need to be backed up every few minutes or sooner.
It all depends on how much data you can lose and how fast you need it back.
Backups should be stored securely.
Don't Forget About Security
If you use encryption, make sure to also backup the keys used to encrypt your data.
And make sure to also store those keys offsite.
How long should you keep your backups?
Don't Forget About Data Retention
https://www.intradyn.com/data-retention-policy/
How long should you keep your backups?
Don't Forget About Data Retention
It's much more difficult to steal data that you've already deleted.
https://www.intradyn.com/data-retention-policy/
So We're Good, Right?
I backup all the time. I keep them safe. I don't need to worry.
So We're Good, Right?
Only 10% of IT Users Perform Daily Backups
About 15% Backup Weekly
Around 33% Backup Monthly
Here's The Bad News
https://dl.acronis.com/u/rc/Acronis-Cyber-Protection-Week-Global-Report-2022.pdf
Only 10% of IT Users Perform Daily Backups
About 15% Backup Weekly
Around 33% Backup Monthly
Here's The Bad News
41% Rarely or Never Backup
https://dl.acronis.com/u/rc/Acronis-Cyber-Protection-Week-Global-Report-2022.pdf
Only 10% of IT Users Perform Daily Backups
About 15% Backup Weekly
Around 33% Backup Monthly
Here's The Bad News
41% Rarely or Never Backup
About 76% of companies suffered downtime due to data issues.
https://dl.acronis.com/u/rc/Acronis-Cyber-Protection-Week-Global-Report-2022.pdf
Only 10% of IT Users Perform Daily Backups
About 15% Backup Weekly
Around 33% Backup Monthly
Here's The Bad News
41% Rarely or Never Backup
72% Of All Users Had to Recover Data
About 76% of companies suffered downtime due to data issues.
https://dl.acronis.com/u/rc/Acronis-Cyber-Protection-Week-Global-Report-2022.pdf
Backups Fail 43% Of The Time
Restores Fail 39% Of The Time
Full Recovery Only Happens About 25% Of The Time
Here's The Bad News
https://invenioit.com/continuity/know-statistics-on-data-loss-backup/
Backups Fail 43% Of The Time
Restores Fail 39% Of The Time
Full Recovery Only Happens About 25% Of The Time
Here's The Bad News
https://invenioit.com/continuity/know-statistics-on-data-loss-backup/
90% of business who suffer a data-loss-related outage longer than 10 days, close within a year.
50% close immediately.
The entire purpose of a backup is to be able to return to normal operations as
quickly and thoroughly
as possible.
What Do We Do Now?
The entire purpose of a backup is to be able to return to normal operations as
quickly and thoroughly
as possible.
What Do We Do Now?
Don't forget about the other side of backups: restoration.
A Restore is moving the Backup copy back into its original, or new, location to return to normal operations.
What Do We Mean By "Restore"?
A Restore is moving the Backup copy back into its original, or new, location to return to normal operations.
What Do We Mean By "Restore"?
Don't forget that Restores fail 39% of the time.
This Is Why We Test
https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/how-to-test-database-backup/
How Can We Test?
Be Familiar With Your Process
https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/how-to-test-database-backup/
How Can We Test?
Make Sure You Have The Resources
Be Familiar With Your Process
https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/how-to-test-database-backup/
How Can We Test?
Do Your Best To Prevent Another Outage
Make Sure You Have The Resources
Be Familiar With Your Process
https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/how-to-test-database-backup/
How Can We Test?
Do Your Best To Prevent Another Outage
Make Sure You Have The Resources
Be Familiar With Your Process
Figure Out How Long It Takes
https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/how-to-test-database-backup/
How Can We Test?
Do Your Best To Prevent Another Outage
Make Sure You Have The Resources
Be Familiar With Your Process
Figure Out How Long It Takes
Verify Your Data Is Restored
https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/how-to-test-database-backup/
How Can We Test?
Do Your Best To Prevent Another Outage
Make Sure You Have The Resources
Be Familiar With Your Process
Figure Out How Long It Takes
Verify Your Data Is Restored
Automate What You Can
https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/how-to-test-database-backup/
How Can We Test?
Do Your Best To Prevent Another Outage
Make Sure You Have The Resources
Be Familiar With Your Process
Figure Out How Long It Takes
Verify Your Data Is Restored
Documentation Is Your Friend
Automate What You Can
How Can We Test?
https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/how-to-test-database-backup/
Do Your Best To Prevent Another Outage
Make Sure You Have The Resources
Be Familiar With Your Process
Figure Out How Long It Takes
Verify Your Data Is Restored
Practice Makes Perfect
Documentation Is Your Friend
Automate What You Can
Did It Work?
Bonus: Why You Test Your Plan
Resources
How To Backup ColdFusion Applications Before Migration
The ColdFusion Backup and Restore Runbook
Can You Restore In ColdFusion In Under An Hour? - Michaela Light
A History of Storage Media - by Kiran Bhattaram
Longevity of Recordable CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays
Backup Strategies, Containerization and Auto Backup
SBA: Recover From Disasters
The State of Data Backup: Trends in Resilience and Trust - Veeam: Rick Vanover
Disaster Recovery Testing Checklist for IT Teams
Shawn Oden | codefumonkey@gmail.com | codefumonkey.com
Thank You.
"I've got backups. My data is safe."
- Future Former Employee
Schrödinger’s Backup (v4) (ColdFusion Summit 2026)
By Shawn Oden
Schrödinger’s Backup (v4) (ColdFusion Summit 2026)
Bad things happen. Hardware crashes. Software becomes corrupted. Your business gets hit with a ransomware attack. But that's not a problem, because you have backups, right? In the modern world, backups are a necessity. But they're absolutely worthless if you can't also restore them. In this session, I'll talk about the history of backups, some of the reasons you'd want backups, the different types of backups you can perform, and most importantly, the importance of testing those backups with a restore. How good are your backups? How do you know? (Presented at Adobe ColdFusion Summit - Las Vegas, NV - June 22, 2026)
