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5.1.3. Implement workstation backup and recovery methods. (Obj. 4.3)

šŸ’” First Principle: A reliable backup strategy, regularly tested, is the only true defense against data loss.

Hardware fails, users make mistakes, and ransomware strikes. Data loss is not a matter of if, but when. Backups are the ultimate safety net, allowing you to recover from a disaster and restore critical information. As a technician, you must understand different backup types and the strategies for implementing them effectively.

There are three primary types of backups:

  • Full Backup: This copies everything you've selected for backup. It's the simplest to understand and makes for the easiest restore, as you only need one backup set. However, it takes the most time and uses the most storage space.
  • Incremental Backup: This copies only the files that have changed since the last backup of any type (full or incremental). Restoring from an incremental backup is more complex: you need the last full backup plus all the incremental backups in order since that full backup. They are very fast to create and use the least amount of storage.
  • Differential Backup: This copies only the files that have changed since the last full backup. Each differential backup grows larger over time. Restoring is simpler than incremental: you only need the last full backup and the most recent differential backup.

A best practice for backup strategy is the 3-2-1 Rule:

  • Keep at least 3 copies of your data (the live data and two backups).
  • Store the copies on 2 different types of media (e.g., an internal drive and an external drive, or a NAS and cloud storage).
  • Keep 1 copy off-site (e.g., in the cloud or a physical drive at a different location). This protects you from a site-wide disaster like a fire or flood.

Finally, a backup is useless if you can't restore from it. You must regularly test your backups by performing test restores to ensure the data is being backed up correctly and is recoverable.

Technician's Action Plan: Scenario: A small business owner with a single server wants you to set up a robust backup plan for their critical business data (about 500GB). They have a limited budget but understand the importance of backups.

  1. Propose a 3-2-1 Strategy: Explain the 3-2-1 rule in simple terms. Propose the following implementation:
    • Copy 1 (Live Data): The data on the server itself.
    • Copy 2 (Local Backup): Purchase a large external USB hard drive. This will be the first backup target.
    • Copy 3 (Off-site Backup): Sign up for a business-grade cloud backup service. This will be the second, off-site backup target.
  2. Define the Backup Schedule (Hybrid Approach):
    • Weekly Full Backup: Schedule a full backup to run to the local external USB drive every Sunday night. This provides a complete, recent local copy for fast restores.
    • Daily Incremental Backup: Schedule a nightly incremental backup to run to the cloud backup service. This ensures that a copy of each day's changes is sent off-site, protecting against a major disaster.
  3. Implement the Solution:
    • Install and configure the backup software on the server.
    • Create two backup jobs: one for the weekly local full backup and one for the nightly off-site incremental backup.
    • Run the first full backup to both locations to get them seeded.
  4. Establish a Testing and Monitoring Plan:
    • Set up email alerts from the backup software to notify you of successes or failures.
    • Schedule a quarterly test restore. This involves creating a test folder on the server, restoring a few files from both the local backup and the cloud backup into it, and verifying their integrity. This proves the backups are working and recoverable. Document the results of each test.

Reflection Question: Explain the difference between an incremental backup and a differential backup, and which one requires more backup sets for a full restore.