How Often Should You Test Backups and Disaster Recovery Plans?

To be fair—when was the last time you validated your backups? If you had to think about it, I assure you, you’re not problem solving alone. Many people start a backup or disaster recovery (DR) plan and then forget it’s there. But the truth is that a backup is of no value if it doesn’t work when you need it. If you’re not fully validating it yourself, you are essentially just crossing your fingers, and the hope is not a strategy for protecting real data in an emergency.

Why Validate Your Backups, Though?​

Have you ever tried to restore a backup only to find out the backup file was corrupt or not there at all? It’s terrible. And back ups can fail to back up without a person realizing it until there is an issue. Validating your backup verifies:

• The backup actually completed properly
• That when you go to restore the data, it will restore without error
• That it will restore in the amount of time you expect it to

Imagine a fire extinguisher—you wouldn’t trust it unless you had tested it, correct? The same goes for backups—you have the privilege of feeling the same confidence with your backups.

How Frequently Should You Conduct Your Testing of Backups?​

That sounds like a simple question, but the answer ultimately depends on your data. However, I have a straightforward approach I like to use:

• Critical / Important data: Once a month.

• Normal business data: Once every three months.

• Old / less important data: Twice a year.

And remember, if you have any system changes, for example, software updates, new storage, or moving files, you should test again immediately afterwards. It is always easier to fix something wrong before an actual disaster occurs.

It may seem silly or unnecessary to skip a test, but you would be surprised to learn that your backups stopped working 6 months ago.

Testing Your Disaster Recovery plan​

Your disaster recovery plan is just as important as your backup strategy. You can have a full plan written out on paper, but if no one knows what to do when the system goes down, the plan does not helpful!

Here’s a quick and straightforward checklist:

• Pretend that there’s a disaster every six months and see how it goes.
• Assess how long it takes to get everything back up and running.
• Ensure everyone understands their role - who to call, and what to do.
• Revise your plan after every test.

You will uncover trouble areas through small, practiced tests instead of in the middle of a real disaster.

Final Thoughts​

I like to add reminders to my calendar to follow through on backups and disaster recovery DR plans. They ensure I have reminders and timelines which reduces stress when something goes wrong. Backing up to the cloud and automation make testing easier, but you will still need a human double check.

So how often should you test your backups and DR plans? Test as often as needed to feel comfortable about your data. After you have tested and verified that your backups worked, you will feel comfortable that you are ready for anything.

Because when disaster happens - it always does - you will be glad you didn’t leave it to chance.