Archive for July, 2009

Secrets of Data Verification – Stop Dropping Backups in Acid

Monday, July 6th, 2009
Will your Nightmare Come True?

Danger! - Unverified Backups - Danger!

Would you trust your most recent backup in hydrochloric acid?  What if I told you that your entire set of backups might have been tainted — that they had been completely ruined?  I’ve talked to far too many people who are deep into panic when they realize that every backup they’ve ever made… is worthless.

How does this happen?  I’ll tell you a story.

Bob was an entrepreneur.  He had started his business from the ground up — With his own two hands, and all that jazz.  Now it was a thriving company producing solid net revenues.  Having so much skin in the game, Bob was very particular about how his business was handled from accounting to system administration.  In fact, every night he would take the most recent backup and tuck it neatly into the passenger seat of his Mercedes for the ride home.  The backups were even locked away in a safe at home (he apparently hadn’t bought the BackupEDGE encryption option!) so they were protected from crooks and fire alike.

Well, the unthinkable did eventually happen.  (more…)