Backup Tips Developing your own backup policy.

     One of the main conditions of robust data protection is the development of your own backup policy.  Put into words, we can say: A backup policy is: "Backup my files every "X" PERIOD at NN hours, and put the backed up files on a disk, tape unit, Remote Server or a zip archive." While WestNet Backup will only backup to a remote server, we will discuss tips for all types of backups here.

     If you have gone through the Get Started tour you know that WestNet Backup uses a Backup Set to define items of the Backup policy.  The parameters of all existing Backup Sets, is your Backup policy. 

     When you are developing a backup policy, you have to take into consideration, the following points:

1. Backup often, because you can't restore what is not backed up. For example: if you hard disk crashed today and your last backup was a week ago, you have lost all data you have added or changed during the last week. WestNet Backup is most effective if you backup everything and often.
   
   
2. When using disks or tapes, have multiple backups of your data on different backup media. There is always a chance that backup media will be corrupted or lost too. (WestNet's backup servers use RAID technology to store two copies of your backups on separate server disks.)
   
   
3. Always store at least one complete backup off-site to protect yourself against fire, theft or natural disaster.
   
   
4. Periodically verify your backups are working properly.
   
   
5. Use Repair Wizard to create up-to-date disks with repair information. REMEMBER: Without the encryption keys, you will not be able to restore your files!
   
   
6. You may want to separate the most important and used files from the little used files. This allows to restore most important files with minimum time requirements and continue your work. You can restore all other files at a more convenient time (afternoon, ...).  Use a few Backup Sets to achieve this objective. 
   
   
7. If you backup your files to our server through slow communication lines, do not create extensive Backup Sets.  Try to divide your files, according on your work schedule. 
   
   
8. Separate backup archives from source files.  Ideally you have to store your backup archives on another physical disk, CD-ROM, ZIP, remote FTP Server, or any other storage device, outside of your office or home.  In other words you have to save your backup archives for the potential situation when your computer may be DESTROYED or STOLEN. 
   
   
9. Be careful with patch technology. It has one big advantage and one negative one: incremental backup archives based on patch technology have a small size (reduces transfer time and necessity of large disk space), but you MUST have all incremental backup archives to restore! With standard incremental backup mode, if you lose any backup archives, you will be able to restore all files, except files from missing archives.  That's why you have to ask yourself Is it possible to lose any backup archives?.  The answer to the question will help make your decision about your preferred backup mode.
   
   
10. Put labels on disks - Don't trust your memory. An unlabeled disk might be taken for an empty or unimportant disk. No cryptic pencil-made scribbles on a piece of paper either. Use labels that clearly identify what they contain. If a BackUp Set need more than one disk, indicate on the label the disk's sequential number followed by the total number of disks. E.g., if your documents are all stored in 2 disks, label the first as "BackUp Documents 1/2", and the second as "BackUp Documents 2/2". And keep them in a safe place.

11. Take care of your backup media, which can easily be damaged by the environment. Media can also wear out after as few as hundred uses. A fire-proof safe in a climate-controlled building is an ideal media storage location.
    
    

     Note these important points when you create your Backup Sets, and click here to go back into the Manual index, and read more about a Backup Set's properties.