Data recovery testing is the process of purposefully crashing your computer systems to test their ability to recover the data. In the mock disaster, the forced failure allows a business to prepare for the worst, and ensure the quality of their recovery process. The test is then evaluated for its efficiency and integrity. The results, whether positive or negative, can then be taken into account for future threats. Businesses can learn from the test, using it to improve upon the data recovery process.
Authorities on the topic of data recovery offer their services to businesses at risk, or companies that wish to improve their recovery plan, to strengthen their defences against potential risk to information. Datto is a data recovery protection service that specialises in defending against data loss from applications like Office 365 and Gmail, providing peace of mind for countless businesses. Datto safeguards data of all kinds.
What Is Data Recovery Testing?
Commonly, companies don’t prioritise data recovery because of the age-old idea that “it will never happen to me”. Though it is easier to prepare for the worst than pick up the pieces of a software crash, many businesses fail to run data recovery tests, and therefore put their information at risk.
Companies that don’t test their data recovery plan run a costly risk of losing valuable information. From your customer’s personal details to important business documents, data recovery does not just cost a company money, but it also takes a substantial amount of time to save the information – during which your company may be unable to run efficiently. It’s no secret that the damage of a data attack can be career-destroying.
Data recovery is just one component of an integrated disaster recovery plan, which protects a company from cyberattacks and system failure. Through frequent auditing, recovery tests and continuously backing up data via offsite archive systems, businesses can safeguard their important information.
Why Is Data Recovery Testing Important?
Data recovery tests are an essential part of any business’ operations. Risks to a company’s information can come in many forms – from natural disasters that can damage hard drives to malicious cyber attacks like data ransom. Despite the varying factors, they all have the power to shatter a company.
Carrying such importance, it’s always worth turning to reputable IT service providers who use market-leading products such as Datto SaaS Protection to ensure you have the right software and processes in place.
Important reasons why you should be testing your business’ data recovery:
1. You will find out whether your data recovery plan actually works.
2. Preventing a disaster is easier than trying to rebuild your lost data.
3. Your important data will be protected against a whole host of dangers.
4. You can be confident that your systems are working at optimum condition.
5. You may be able to recover valuable data once it has been “lost”.
How Do I Test My Data Recovery Process?
There are several ways to test your system’s data restoration ability, each method covering different potential attacks and crashes. Make sure to back up the data you wish to test, in case the process needs tweaking before it works effectively – you don’t want to risk accidentally losing data. By triggering a simulated disaster, companies can learn from the results of the test and update their response plan. Such tests should be completed regularly by an IT specialist.
Examples of Data Recovery Tests:
Restart: While an application is running, restart the computer to force it to close. Afterwards, go back into the application and check its data integrity.
Unplug: While an application is receiving data from a network, unplug the connecting cable. Replug the cable and analyse the applications ability to continue receiving data.
Browser: While your browser has a definitive number of sessions remaining, close the system. Then, restart the browser and check if it can recover the data successfully.
Back-Up: Data redundancy is the process of a failover system copying the at-risk data to a separate hard drive, managing and restoring the information before it is lost.
Memory: A memory shortage can cause systems to lose data, so test the boundaries of your available memory and find out how your systems process lots of information.
A recovery operation will test the perimeter document system, DNS data, the internal system, partial files, the main domain system, the SQL files, the WINS data and the DHCP data. There are several issues that may impact your tests ability to save data, including the time-frame, regularity of the plan and the sensitivity of the data, which you should take into account. When you receive the results of the test, analyse the speed and quality of the recovery. Once you have evaluated the process, improve your recovery plan accordingly.
Alternatively, continuously backing up your company’s data offsite, through traditional hard drives that would be unaffected by a systems crash or cyberattack, would guarantee the safety of your data. It is advised that businesses employ both methods, offsite hard drives and data recovery testing, as a two-pronged defence against risks.
There is no denying that reliable data is imperative to a company’s success, so implementing an effective data recovery plan should be equally as essential. By employing methods to test your data recovery, you will safeguard your companies essential data. Data recovery is costly, so don’t put your business at risk.
If you’re keen to protect your data by adopting effective data recovery testing, contact our team of experts today by calling 01332 333220 or by emailing us via enquiries@cloudcentral.co.uk.