BACKUP MANAGEMENT
Data Protection That Works
Automated backup strategies that protect your data and meet compliance requirements. From daily incremental backups to quarterly restore testing, we ensure your data is safe and recoverable when you need it.
WHAT IS BACKUP MANAGEMENT
Effective backup management requires strategy, automation, verification, and regular testing. We implement industry-standard backup methodologies customised to your data volume, change frequency, and compliance requirements.
KEY SERVICES
Automated Backup Schedule
We configure full, incremental, and differential backup schedules designed for your data change frequency and recovery requirements. Automation ensures backups run consistently without manual intervention, whilst intelligent scheduling minimises performance impact during peak business hours. Modern backup tools use deduplication to reduce storage consumption.
Multi-Location Storage
Following the industry-standard 3-2-1 backup rule, we store three copies of your data on two different media types with one copy maintained off-site for geographic redundancy. This protects against site-wide disasters, equipment failures, and ransomware attacks. UK and EU data residency options ensure compliance with regional data protection requirements whilst cloud storage integration provides reliable off-site protection.
Granular Retention Policies
Custom retention schedules align with GDPR, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, and industry-specific regulations. We implement daily backups for 30 days, weekly backups for 90 days, and monthly backups for 7 years, or configure policies matching your specific compliance mandates. Automated deletion processes ensure data is removed when retention periods expire, meeting regulatory requirements whilst managing storage costs effectively.
Restore Testing
Quarterly restore tests validate backup integrity and recovery procedures before you need them in an emergency. We document actual restore times, verify data completeness, and maintain runbooks detailing exact recovery steps. Many organisations discover backup failures only through testing, making regular validation essential for business continuity assurance.
Point-in-Time Recovery
PostgreSQL WAL and MySQL binary log integration enables database restoration to any specific moment within the past 30 days. This capability is essential for recovering from data corruption, accidental deletions, or malicious changes without losing recent work. Point-in-time recovery enables restoration to specific moments, minimising potential data loss during incidents.
Encryption
AES-256 encryption protects backup data both in transit and at rest, ensuring sensitive information remains secure throughout the backup lifecycle. Encryption keys are managed separately from backup storage, preventing unauthorised access even if backup repositories are compromised. This encryption standard meets requirements for PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and other security-focused compliance frameworks.
Backup Failure Alerts
We implement automated monitoring detecting backup failures, storage capacity issues, and integrity verification problems immediately. Solutions integrate instant alerts through multiple channels enabling investigation of failures before they compound into data loss risks. Proactive monitoring strategies ensure backup systems remain operational and reliable.
Ransomware Protection
Modern ransomware attacks specifically target backup systems to maximise extortion leverage, making traditional backups insufficient for protection. We implement immutable backups where stored data cannot be modified or deleted for defined retention periods, preventing ransomware from encrypting or destroying backup copies. Air-gapped storage maintains offline backup copies physically disconnected from production networks, ensuring recovery capability even if online systems are completely compromised.
BACKUP METHODOLOGY
Strategic Implementation
We implement industry-standard 3-2-1 backup methodology: 3 copies of data, on 2 different media types, with 1 copy off-site. Automated scheduling handles full, incremental, and differential backups based on your data change frequency, orchestrated with minimal performance impact.
Verification and Testing
Quarterly restore tests verify backup integrity and validate recovery procedures. We document actual restore times and maintain detailed runbooks so your team knows exactly what to expect during an incident.
Compliance and Retention
Granular retention rules aligned with your compliance requirements. Daily backups for 30 days, weekly backups for 90 days, monthly backups for 7 years - or whatever GDPR, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, or your specific industry mandates.
BUSINESS OUTCOMES
Backup management typically delivers:
- Rapid recovery with 15-minute RPO targets
- 100% data recovery capability through point-in-time recovery
- Compliance with GDPR, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, and DORA requirements
- 7-year retention for audit and regulatory requirements
- Multi-location redundancy against regional disasters
- Ransomware protection through immutable and air-gapped storage
- 24/7 backup monitoring with instant alerts
- Quarterly verified restore procedures
DATA PROTECTION STRATEGY
3-2-1 Backup Rule
3 copies of data: Original, backup, copy-of-backup
2 different media types: Disk and cloud storage
1 off-site copy: Geographically remote location
This strategy protects against:
- Hardware failures (on-site backup)
- Site-wide disasters (off-site copy)
- Ransomware attacks (immutable backups)
- Data corruption (point-in-time recovery)
RETENTION TIMELINE
Daily backups: 30 days
Weekly backups: 90 days
Monthly backups: 7 years
This meets GDPR, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, and most regulatory requirements whilst managing storage costs.
RESTORE PROCEDURES
Quarterly full restore tests ensure procedures remain accurate:
- Database restore from backup
- Verification of data completeness
- Performance validation
- Documentation update
BACKUP STRATEGY DETAILS
3-2-1 Rule Implementation
The 3-2-1 backup rule provides comprehensive protection:
3 copies of data: Original system, primary backup, secondary backup
2 different media: Disk-based backup and cloud-based backup
1 off-site copy: Geographically remote location for disaster protection
This strategy protects against hardware failures, site-wide disasters, ransomware attacks, and data corruption.
Full, Incremental, and Differential Backups
Different backup types suit different circumstances:
Full backups contain everything, taking longest time but simplifying restore. Weekly full backups provide clean restore points.
Incremental backups contain only changes since last backup, taking minimal time and storage. Daily incremental backups between weekly fulls maintain frequently backed up state.
Differential backups contain changes since last full backup. More storage than incremental but faster restore than incremental chains.
Combining full and incremental backups balances backup speed, storage consumption, and restore complexity.
Point-in-Time Recovery Implementation
Database backup strategies enable recovery to specific moments:
PostgreSQL Write-Ahead Logs (WAL) capture every database change. WAL archiving to S3 enables recovery to any moment within retention period.
MySQL binary logs serve similar function, capturing all changes for replication and recovery.
Point-in-time recovery enables recovery from accidental deletions, data corruption, and malicious changes without data loss.
Immutable Backups for Ransomware Protection
Ransomware attacks specifically target backups to prevent recovery. Protection requires:
Immutable storage prevents backup modification or deletion for defined retention periods. AWS S3 Object Lock implements immutable backups.
Write-once-read-many (WORM) storage technology prevents unauthorised tampering whilst maintaining accessibility for legitimate restoration.
Air-gapped storage maintains offline backup copies physically disconnected from production networks. USB drives stored off-site provide ultimate protection against network-based attacks.
Encryption Protection
AES-256 encryption protects backup data at rest and in transit. Encryption keys stored separately from encrypted data prevent unauthorised access even if backup repositories are compromised.
Key management systems like AWS KMS or HashiCorp Vault control key access and rotation.
Compliance-Ready Retention
Different regulations demand different retention periods:
GDPR: Delete data when retention period expires (typically 30-365 days)
PCI-DSS: Maintain 12 months of transaction logs with 3 months readily available
SOC 2: Documented backup procedures ensuring availability and confidentiality
HIPAA: Maintain backups for 6 years with audit trails
DORA: Multi-year retention for financial institutions
Granular retention policies meet all requirements whilst managing storage costs.
Automated Monitoring
Backup systems require continuous monitoring:
Backup completion verification confirms backups finish successfully. Failed backups get alerted immediately.
Storage capacity monitoring prevents running out of backup space. Alerts trigger when capacity reaches thresholds.
Integrity verification confirms backed-up data is uncorrupted through checksum validation.
Restore time monitoring tracks how long restores take, validating that recovery meets targets.
Quarterly Testing
Testing validates backup effectiveness:
Full restore testing to isolated environments ensures data completeness and accuracy. Database consistency checks confirm logical integrity.
Recovery time measurement validates that documented RTO targets are achievable. Identifying bottlenecks before real incidents.
Documentation updates ensure runbooks reflect actual procedures and timings.
BACKUP TECHNOLOGIES
Common backup tools and storage:
- Restic: Efficient incremental backups with deduplication
- Borg Backup: Similar to Restic with additional features
- Proxmox Backup Server: Purpose-built for VM backup
- AWS S3: Cost-effective off-site storage
- Backblaze B2: Alternative cloud storage with lower cost
- PostgreSQL WAL: Continuous database backup
- MySQL Binary Logs: Continuous transaction logging
Technology selection depends on data volumes, retention requirements, and compliance mandates.
BUSINESS CASE
Proper backup management prevents catastrophic losses:
Recovery time objective targets determine infrastructure investment. Sub-1-hour RTO requires warm standby infrastructure. 24-hour RTO enables simpler, cheaper backup strategies.
Data loss tolerance determines RPO targets. Zero data loss requires continuous replication. Daily backups acceptable for systems where data loss is tolerable.
Compliance certification requires documented backup procedures. DORA (2025) mandates multi-year retention for financial institutions.
Insurance considerations: Many cyber insurance policies require documented backup procedures with regular testing.
CONTACT
Discuss your backup strategy and protection requirements.
