Protecting You: Disco, 8-Track, and Tape Backups

A construction firm asked me to test their backup system because they were unable to restore critical files after a cryptowall breakout and their IT provider had stopped returning their call.

Here’s what I found:

• The firm had been paying for backups for the past 5 years.
• The backup software was 5 years old.
• The backup settings were 5 years old.

That’s right – they were backing up directories that were IMPORTANT 5 YEARS AGO.

What happened to all the folders, projects and employees they had added? That’s right NO BACKUPS.

Worse, the backup system was protecting the wrong servers.

We replaced the adhoc file-and-folder backup system with

1. A new comprehensive system that backs up ALL servers
2. We test backups weekly
3. Every month, we REVIEW the backup plan with the client
4. Every month, we conduct RECOVERY TESTS
5. Every 6 months, we conduct a FULL DISASTER RECOVERY TEST