Test restores
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I want to start a scheduled test restore of each database each month on about 35 servers. My thought is that I will create a schedule of tapes to keep onsite and file names to restore to a specified location. The guy working nights who is reponsible for the tapes says that I would have to wait a week to get the tape back, that it is against IS policy to keep the tapes onsite.
Since on all but one server, we use SQL native or LiteSpeed to backup to disk first, I gues I could just do test SQL restores. But, I think the process is only validated if we test the entire process.
What strategies do other DBA's use?
Thanks,
Kathi
Aunt Kathi Data Platform MVP
Author of Expert T-SQL Window Functions
Simple-Talk Editor -
Wait a week for a backup tape???? If a database goes down and requires a restore, and its down for a week just waiting on the tape, I think somebody is going to be in the unemployment line!
One option could be to create a duplicate tape each month, and keep the duplicate on site for testing. Once you have confirmed the backup, the tape can be returned to the tape pool. Although, if the guy is right, and it takes a week to get a tape on site (I can't imagine!), you may want to keep the duplicate longer!
If I decide I want a tape from offsite storage (non-emergency), the longest I have to wait is overnight. If its an emergency, that tape better be here within the hour!
Steve
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If it is an emergency, I can get a tape the same day. Non-emergency, the next day and they send a big box of tapes, not just the one I requested.
He was suggesting that the tape that was used a week before comes back automatically, just use that. I am suggesting that I will know that I want to do a test restore for a particular server, let's keep the tape onsite an extra day.
Luckily, I can do most db restores from disk and don't have to rely on a tape. Except for test restores, I have only had to request two restores from tape to get back data.
I am wondering if I am being over cautious in my plan, what do others do as far as test restores.
Aunt Kathi Data Platform MVP
Author of Expert T-SQL Window Functions
Simple-Talk Editor -
Phew! Glad to know that your jobs are secure!
As far as how often I test backups, not nearly often enough. Basically, whenever someone requests a copy of their production database, disaster recovery tests (about every 6 months, and not all servers or databases), when it is actually needed, or when I suspect that there may be a problem.
As for your plan, I don't think its being overly cautious at all. In fact, its a good idea. I do think, though, that the tapes are sent offsite for safekeeping in case of a disaster. If you keep them onsite an extra day, thats placing an unnecessary risk into your disaster recovery plan. The main things to be concerned about are that a) something is wrong with your database backup procedure, b) something is wrong with your network (server level) backup procedure, c) a bad tape. You would have to test every backup to eliminate bad tapes as a potential problem. With a) and b), if your procedures are well established, things should be ok, so testing a backup when it comes back may be sufficient (though if you discover a problem, by the time you find it, its been going on for a week, in which case holding it for an extra day makes a lot more sense). Finally, if you can afford the extra tapes, and the extra time involved, a duplicate tape once a month might be a good plan after all.
Steve
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