Best Practices for Backup & Recovery

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What kinds of servers do you have?

• Database servers?• Line of Business Servers (LOB)• File & Print Servers?• Web Servers?• Messaging servers?• Other application servers?• Testing or development servers?

Problems with backup & recovery

• Data growth– 100-400% in database, files, etc

• Backup Window shrinking or none– 24 x 7 operations, lost revenue

• Headcounts shrinking– Cost cutting, business reorganizations

• Tapes handling• Recovery procedures

Ways of losing data in backups

• No proper backup tape available• Bad restore procedures or none• Loss of storage media (misplaces, lost)• Media corruption or broken media• Media usage & shelf life• Corruption of data (virus)

Why best practices for backup &

recovery is needed?• To protect appropriate data from data

loss• To provide fast restoration in the event

of data loss

Top 10 Best Practices for backup & recovery

1. Standardization2. Types of backup3. Number of tapes used4. Backup centralization5. Online applications/database backup6. Backup window7. Restore documentation8. Test restores9. Media handling10.Peace of mind!

1) Standardization• Types of OS & servers in environment• Standardize on a single backup software

– Local & remote centralized monitoring & administration– Less training– Standardized tools– Reporting & troubleshooting– Veritas Netbackup or Backup Exec

• Do not forget backing up workstations & NAS– Lots of data sits on

workstations/laptops– Veritas Netbackup Professional

2) Types of backup• Full backup

– All files (OS, apps, data, registry)• Differential backup

– Changed data since last FULL backup• Incremental backup

– Changed data since last backup (any full, incremental or differential)

2) Types of backup: Recommendations

• Standardize on a methodology• Most commonly used are

– Full backups daily for small environments– Full backups weekend and incremental OR differentialbackups on weekdays (Father-Son)• 2 week rotation cycle

– Full backups at the end of every month & keep it for at least 1 year (Grandfather-Father-Son)– Full backups at the end of every year & keep for as long as required

3) Number of tapes used• Need to know total data size, database size,

OSsize on server(s)• Types of tape drives & cartridges used

– Capacity calculations• Available capacity on used cartridges

– Media capacity feature in Backup Exec• Consider hardware & software compression• Utilize Single Instance Storage technologies

4) Backup centralization• Local backup

– Simple, fast, easy– Many backup servers & tape drives to manage

• Centralized backup pros & cons– Centralized backup management – Adv Admin Tool– 1 or 2 backup servers to manage only– Tape handling done by autoloaders– Separate backup LAN– Centralized/integrated disaster recovery process (IDR)

5) Online applications support

• 24 x 7 business requirements• Backup done while applications still

running• Use Backup Exec or NetBackup

applications online agents

6) Backup Window• 2 hours, 8 hours, or NONE?• Meet business SLAs• Consider incremental or differential backups• Multi-plexing• Multi-streaming• Veritas Storage Migrator to reduce in-active

databackup

7) Restore documentation• Minimize panic during disasters• Backup & restore dependencies

– If database is down, what apps are affected?• Document restores at various levels

– File & directory level– Database level– System level

• Recovery SLAs for types of data– Mission critical data– Business critical data– Employee level data

• Step-by-step directions plus screen shots

• Document escalation process & contacts

– IT Personnel => vendors => ???• Test out your documentation

8) Test restores• Ensures proper backup is done• Data integrity check

– Ensures data can be recovered• Test at various levels

– File & directory level– Database level– Server level

• Train more than 1 person to do restores• Use your restore documentation to do test

restores•Easier, faster, and automated restores

– Veritas Intelligent Disaster Recovery (IDR)– Veritas Bare Metal Restores (BMR)

IF YOU CAN’T DO IT, ASK YOURVENDORS TO DO IT!!!

9) Media handling• Where do you keep your backup cartridges?• Who takes care of your tape? SECURITY• Autoloaders

– Automatic allocation of tapes• Available capacity on cartridges

– Media capacity feature in Backup Exec

• Tape drive and cartridge wear & tear considerations– Drive cleaning– Cartridges – max # of times written or read

• Off-site cartridges requirements & process– Automation using Backup Exec or NetBackup vaulting option

10) Peace of mind• Check all recommendations in your

existing environment• Make changes or update as and when is necessary

Summary: Top 10 Best Practices for backup &

recovery• 1. Standardization• 2. Types of backup• 3. Number of tapes used• 4. Backup centralization• 5. Online applications/database backup• 6. Backup window• 7. Restore documentation• 8. Test restores• 9. Media handling• 10.Peace of mind!

Objectives of backups strategies

• A complete backup & restore infrastructure• Maximize application availability

– Offload backup to backup servers• Increase profit

– Eliminate planned & unplanned downtime• Simplify backup implementation &

management• Data integrity protection• Investment protection

– Support current & future technologies