Wednesday 2 May 2007

Every IT Manager's Nightmare: No Tested Recovery

We all have our pet peeves about various aspects of the work that we do.

For me, it is not having "insurance" in place for the day when things go sideways. Notice I did not say "if" but "when".

Backup --> Recovery ... Backup --> Recovery ... Backup --> Recovery!

We absolutely need to test those backups!

As Microsoft Small Business Specialists, it is even more important for us to test those backups. The MSBS certification is supposed to indicate to our clients that we actually know something about providing a complete I.T. infrastructure solution to our clients.

This includes adequate Disaster Recovery Planning.

For those of us MSBSs with families, can we really get by without purchasing life insurance to protect their well being if we are hit by a bus?!?

So why would we sell a solution to our clients that does not include an adequate off-site rotation based backup? And, if we do provide such a solution, why wouldn't we test it?

The reason for this post? Yet another failure to test backups, from the article, "Business magazine fails to heed its own tech advice":
NEW YORK: Business 2.0, the technology-aware magazine published by Time, periodically reminds readers of the importance of backing up computer files. A 2003 article likened backups to flossing - everyone knows it's important, but few devote enough thought or energy to it.

Last week, Business 2.0 got caught forgetting to floss.

On the night of Monday, April 23, the magazine's editorial system crashed, wiping out all the work that had been done for its June issue. The backup server failed to back up.
I like the last line in the article, "Business 2.0 has drawn attention for skewering firms, including, occasionally, other magazines, in its annual list of the '101 Dumbest Moments in Business.'"

I leave you to draw your own conclusions about this particular Business 2.0 moment! ;)

Courtesy of Ed Bott: When was the last time you tested your backup system?.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

No comments: