Why Backup Testing is an Important Part of IT Services in Atlanta

Many third-party providers offer backup solutions to their clients as part of their IT services in Atlanta. With the way cyber threats have evolved in the past several years. it’s crucial for companies to have reliable backups in case of loss due to unexpected downtime, a security breach, or some other emergency.

However, having backups isn’t enough. They need to be tested to ensure they’re going to work when needed. The last thing you’d want is to find out your backups are corrupted in the middle of a recovery process. Even if your backups do work, they may work for only one system and not for another. Without prior testing, you won’t know until it’s too late.

Kinds of Backup

Before you can start backup testing, you need to figure out what you should test. Usually, data is the first to be affected, so test your data backups and file backups. You should know beforehand if you can recover files as they are or if you’re getting a data dump.

You may also want to test VM backups as well. VMs can be recovered and powered up, but it has to be in an isolated environment accessed through a DMZ network, and not in the same production environment to avoid conflicts with network IPs. You can also test full application backups, though it can get more complicated because of the relationships between servers and VMs. Your chosen provider of IT services in Atlanta should be able to help you with that.

Testing Schedules

Regular testing is recommended, so choose a cycle that’s feasible for your company. It can be weekly if practical, but if not, aim for monthly. The important thing is to stick to a schedule. If possible, also schedule a restore test after every backup. Atlanta IT support providers can help you with this.

Aside from periodic tests, you should test backups whenever there are implemented upgrades, applied major patches, imported data from outside sources, or anything done that can cause a significant change. This is to check if the changes have an effect on the recovery process. For new applications, it’s also recommended to test them when first built. It’s a good way to remember to add new applications to the backup schedule.

Testing Methods

Testing can be automated. It makes the task easier and also consistently valid results. Backup tools often are bundled with testing tools to help you get started.

Of course, the more reliable option is to work with a provider of IT services in Atlanta like MIS Solutions. We have the staff, tools, and time to perform backup tests as often as needed. Contact us today for additional information.

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