Is It Really a Backup If You Don't Know If You Can Restore It?

Schrödinger’s Backup

Shawn Oden | codefumonkey@gmail.com | @CodeFuMonkey | codefumonkey.com

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 Census Fire Damage

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

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

https://nzxt.com/news/what-s-the-difference-between-an-ssd-hard-drive

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

The Zettabyte Era

In 2010, the world surpased 1021 bytes 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. 

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.

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.

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.

By 2025, over 75 billion IoT Devices. 

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.

By 2025, over 75 billion IoT Devices. 

By 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.

By 2025, over 75 billion IoT Devices. 

By 2025, over 463 exabytes of data created each day.

By 2025, almost 200 zettabytes of data.

https://cybersecurityventures.com/the-world-will-store-200-zettabytes-of-data-by-2025/

What If Disaster Strikes?

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

What Could Go Wrong?

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

What Could Go Wrong?

Cyber Incidents

Bad Configurations

Software Failure

Hardware Failure

Human Error

https://www.cobalt.io/blog/cybersecurity-statistics-2024

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

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

Over the past year (in 2022), 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

Over the past year (in 2022), 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/

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

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

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

Practice Makes Perfect

Documentation Is Your Friend

Automate What You Can

https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/how-to-test-database-backup/

Did It Work?

Shawn Oden | codefumonkey@gmail.com | @CodeFuMonkey | codefumonkey.com

"I've got backups. My data is safe."

- Future Former Employee  

Thank You.

Schrödinger’s Backup (ITB 2024)

By Shawn Oden

Schrödinger’s Backup (ITB 2024)

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 Into The Box 2024 - May 17-18, 2024)

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