Editors Message - Data Backups

Welcome to the second edition of “info@karmangroup”, Karman Group’s Monthly Newsletter.

In this month’s Editor’s Message the topic of focus is Database Backups. Yes, Backups. Posing the question, “When was the most recent database backup made at your site and when was the most recent test restore (to a test environment) done to be sure of the regular backups’ validity and integrity?” A score of 10/10 is awarded to those whose response is “in the last 12 to 24 hours and in the last week” to the posed dual question. A highly overlooked but invaluable discipline in any electronic data management system environment, is the regular backing up of the database and the environment that the database requires for its effective operation. Backups are so easily overlooked and the discipline easily forgotten, until that fateful day when they are needed.

Key aspects of a reliable and effective database backup regime are:

1. As a minimum, a daily database backup should be made at the end of each day.


2. An environment (including programs and other configuration components), together with the database backup, should be done at least weekly.


3. Backup media should be rotated such that a full week of daily database backups are always available.


4. The offsite / remote storage of the backup medium is also an important aspect as fire and theft may render backups useless in the event of a major disaster.


5. A regular test restore of the database backup should be done, to a test environment, to ensure that the database backup media are reliable, and that the backups are valid and can be relied upon.

Remember the Backup !
Editor