Backups are your last line of defense against ransomware, disasters, and data loss. A tested backup strategy is essential for business continuity.
The 3-2-1 Rule
- 3 copies of your data
- 2 different media types (disk, cloud, tape)
- 1 offsite copy (cloud or different location)
Enhanced: 3-2-1-1-0
- +1 copy offline/air-gapped (ransomware protection)
- 0 errors after backup verification
Backup Types
| Full Backup | Complete copy of all data |
| Incremental | Only changes since last backup |
| Differential | Changes since last full backup |
| Snapshot | Point-in-time image of storage |
Testing Backups
- Test restores quarterly at minimum
- Document recovery procedures
- Measure Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
- Verify Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
Ransomware Protection
- Air-gapped backups (physically disconnected)
- Immutable storage (write-once)
- Separate backup credentials
- Encrypt backup data
December 2024