Is It Really a Backup If You Don't Know If You Can Restore It?
Schrödinger’s Backup
Shawn Oden | codefumonkey@gmail.com | 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 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
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.
In 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.
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/
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 2025, almost 200 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 2025, almost 200 zettabytes of data.
https://cybersecurityventures.com/the-world-will-store-200-zettabytes-of-data-by-2025/
The Zettabyte Era
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
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?
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
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
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?
Bonus Slide, aka Fun @ SQL
Resources
Ola Hallengren Database Maintenance Scripts
dbatools
And Others
Native Microsoft SQL Server Backups / Restores
Shawn Oden | codefumonkey@gmail.com | codefumonkey.com
"I've got backups. My data is safe."
- Future Former Employee
Thank You.
