This week, we consider the question, “If a tree falls in the forest, and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?” In the DR world, it goes like this: “If a data backup is taken and nobody tests its recoverability/validity, is it worth more than a sour grape?” All too often, we rely on “having a backup” but we have never tested our recovery scenarios. If our backups haven’t been tested, guess what? Disaster, waiting to happen.

A person close to me was once fired by a major corporation because an email server crashed, and when a backup restoration was executed, it was only then determined that the proprietary email server database, which shall remain nameless, wasn’t backed up at all. All email: gone. My associate: gone (fired). Career Limiting Event.

Now in this case, there was some trouble with the agent that was supposed to allow the hot database file to be backed up, and actually the whole scenario was in place before my associate arrived. It didn’t matter, though–thousands upon thousands of emails lost, and nobody realized that these critical files we’re being backed up properly. “We have a backup” turned out to be wrong.

Test. Practice a recovery. If a tree falls…

There are exceptions–folks who operate like human clocks and can be trusted to always get the steps done for backup. Think back to “Ocean’s Eleven,” when Andy Garcia’s character was like a clock, always entering the casino at exactly the same hour and minute, via the same route, stopping at the same checkpoints, etc.

But do you have an entire payroll full of such people? Of course not. 99% of folks just can’t be trusted to back up manually. They simply will not “plug in the USB drive, launch the thingamagig, and backup.

Thus, automated processes are a real must. In the other blog entry I mentioned some simple, affordable online services (Mozy and Carbonite) that will do the trick. And there are others.

One way or another, though, rely on automation, not on humans.

For starters, though, consider how much your business relies on its data. Chances are, you rely on it much more than you think–emails, documents, notes, calendars, records, photographs, etc. As the earthquake in Haiti recently has reminded us, one minute things are normal, the next the very ground falls out from under us.

It is important to invest in preparedness, especially when it comes to your data. Begin formulating a data backup strategy by identifying the places data resides in your business:

• servers
• PCs
• laptops
• smartphones
• USB sticks
• USB drives
• memory cards (SD cards, MS, etc.)
• CDs
• DVDs
• tapes

It’s actually a little harder than it seems–you may discover that data is sprawled out on more devices than once thought, and even worse, you may not even realize all the places it is residing. So, start here by building a list of data-bearing devices and media within your business. By itself this can be a chore, so let’s leave it here. More next time!

Speaking of the Haiti earthquake, please consider how you can help, starting with financial support of a trustworthy aid organization. The Red Cross is always in need, and I recommend Compassion International as well.