Unit-6 BACKUP AND RECOVERY

Introduction to Backup and Recovery

Data is important part of any organization. Data and information are very important to
analyze the current situation and predict future aspect. It determines the success and
failure of the organization. So, keeping the data secure is very important. It may be
corrupted or lost due to the system error and failure, so keeping copy of any data and
information is vital for an organization.
A backup, or data backup, is a duplicate of computer data stored in a different place, used
to restore the original if data loss occurs.
Data recovery is the process of restoring lost, deleted, corrupted, or inaccessible data.

Backup methods:
Below are various backup methods:
Full Backup
As the name suggests, a full backup of a data set will copy the original set plus the new
changes every time the backup is run. It's a simple process, just copying the whole data
block every time, regardless of what's changed. This method needs a lot of storage space,
so it's best for smaller enterprises. Restoring from a full backup is quick because all the
data on a drive is saved in one location.

Pros
➢ Quick restore time
➢ Managing storage is simple because all the data is stored in one location
➢ File search is very simple.
Cons
➢ Requires the most storage space.
➢ Depending on their size, it takes a long time to back up files
➢ The need for additional storage space makes it the most expensive backup
method
➢ The risk of data loss is high since all the data is stored in one place

Incremental Backup
Incremental backup was introduced to save space and time compared to full data
copying. It only backs up what's changed since the last backup, making it more efficient.
However, recovering data might take longer because you need to use all the incremental
backups in the chain. And each increment depends on the previous one. If any of the
increments is corrupted, you may not be able to restore any data from that point onward.

Pros
➢ Very quick to backup
➢ Low storage requirements in comparison to full backups

Cons
➢ Restoring takes time because data has to be gathered from various backups.
➢ You can only recover successfully if all backup files are undamaged.
 ➢ Searching for files is difficult - you have to check multiple backup sets to find a
specific file.

When should you use incremental backup?

Businesses that deal with large volumes of data and cannot dedicate time to the recovery
process will find incremental backup methods effective since they take up less storage
space and encourage fast backups.

Differential Backup
A differential backup copies all data that has changed since the initial full backup. Even if
there are no updates between backups, the same data is copied again. Restoring data
using the differential model is quick, requiring only two steps: recovering the initial full
copy and applying the last differential set.

Pros
➢ Restores faster than incremental backups since only data from the recent full
backup and the latest differential backup are required.
➢ Requires less storage space than full backups.

Cons
➢ Restoring is slower than full backups
➢ Takes up more storage space than incremental backups
When should you use differential backup?
Small and medium-sized organizations handling large volumes of valuable data, but
unable to do frequent backups, will benefit from using the differential backup method.

Types of storage devices:

Choosing the right backup type and timing is important, but don't forget about the storage
device. The type of storage medium you use is just as crucial as the device itself. so, the
most recent storage options are described below:

External hard disk:

An external hard drive is a separate storage device that connects to your computer
through USB, firewire, or thunderbolt. They can hold up to ten terabytes of data and are
great for large backup files due to their low cost per gigabyte. They're also small and
portable, making them easy to transport and store backup data away from your computer.
However, they can still get damaged if dropped since they have moving parts like internal
hard drives. While they're affordable for storing large amounts of data, they might not be
the best option for smaller backups.

Solid-state drives (SSD) and USB flash drives:

SSDs and USB flash drives are options for storing data. USB flash drives are easy to use,
affordable, and portable. SSDs are replacing hard disks because they're faster, despite
being more expensive.

CD Technology:
CDs are optical discs used for data storage. CD-Rs can only be written to once, while
CD-RWs support multiple writes. They typically store 700MB of data. CDs are portable,
lightweight, and cost-effective for both small and large backups. Most modern PCs have
CD-R/RW drives.
However, if your computer doesn't have one, you'll need to invest in a CD-R/RW drive.
CD-RWs can suffer from human error and lose reliability over time due to degradation
from handling and environmental factors. Blu-ray discs, introduced in 2006, can store up
to 25GB of data but require a specific drive and software for burning data.

DVD Technology:
DVDs are optical discs used for data storage, like CDs, but they can store more data.
Single-layer DVDs can hold up to 4.7GB, while double-layer DVDs can hold up to 8.5 GB.
There are rewritable (DVD-RW) and recordable (DVD) formats available. DVDs are
portable and convenient for transporting data.
You should buy a DVD writing drive if your PC doesn't have one. DVD-RWs lose reliability
with each recording, so they're not ideal for long-term storage. Like CDs, DVDs can fail
due to outside factors and are easy to misplace because they're small and portable.

Online storage:
Businesses offer online data backup services, storing your data in their data centers. This
protects your data from disasters at your home or office and allows you to access it from
multiple locations. However, there are concerns about data security. If the company's
servers go down, you may lose access to your data, causing potential loss of time and
money. Hacking is also a risk, potentially leading to identity theft or exposure of trade
secrets. If the data storage company fails, you could lose your backup and have to start
over, and the monthly costs can be high.

Backup Scheduling and Media Rotation Systems

Backup scheduling involves setting up routines to back up entire systems, groups of
systems, databases, network files, and other important data.
Media rotation techniques are methods of backing up data using the least amount of
media, like tapes, by reusing them. The plan determines when each removable storage
device is used for a backup job and how long it's kept after backup data is stored on it.
The Grandfather-father-son (GFS) backup strategy is a common media rotation
method with three or more backup cycles, like daily, weekly, and monthly, where daily
backups are rotated each day.

So how is it work?
Grandfather: A monthly full backup is done once a month, such as on the last day of the
month, and the data is stored off-site or in the cloud.
Father: A weekly full backup is done once a week, for example, every Monday, and the
data is saved locally. You can choose any specific day that works for you.
Son: Perform a daily incremental or differential backup, done once a day or even more
frequently, like hourly, and save it locally.
Some backups are removed for safety or disaster recovery. The grandfather-father-son
backup method follows the first in, first out rule, deleting the oldest backups first to make
room for new ones.

RAID (redundant array of independent disks)

RAID, or redundant array of independent disks, is a data storage technology that merges
multiple physical disk drive components into one or more logical units to enhance data
redundancy, performance, or both.
RAID (redundant array of independent disks) is a way of storing the same data in different
places on multiple hard disks or solid-state drives (SSDs) to protect data in the case of a
drive failure.
RAID combines several small disks into a single large storage unit, with the disks called
array members. Different RAID levels determine how the disks are combined into the
array.

RAID Levels
RAID is classified into different levels based on the performance and reliability
parameters. The following are the important RAID levels:

RAID level 0
In RAID 0, data is divided into blocks and written to all drives simultaneously, improving
I/O performance by using multiple disks together. It fully utilizes all disk storage and is
simple to set up.
However, RAID 0 lacks fault tolerance. If one drive fails, all data is lost because it's spread
across multiple drives.
It's great for tasks where speed matters most, and data loss isn't a concern.
RAID level 1
In RAID level 1, data is copied to another disk, known as mirroring. This offers fast reading
speeds and better fault tolerance since there's a backup. If one disk fails, the mirrored
disk is used.
However, RAID 1 needs double the resources. It's best for vital data storage, like
accounting systems, where security is crucial.
RAID level 10 (1+0)
This method blends RAID 0 and RAID 1 benefits into one system. It offers security by
copying all data to secondary drives while enhancing data transfer speeds through
striping across drive sets.

The main advantage of RAID 10(1+0) is that recovery from failures because of data
mirroring. However, like RAID 0, it sacrifices half of the storage capacity for mirroring.

RAID level 5
This level uses block-level striping with parity. Parity info is spread across drives, allowing
the array to function if one drive fails. It's faster than a single drive but slower than RAID
0. RAID 5 needs at least three disks, but using five is often advised for better performance.

RAID 5 isn't recommended for systems with lots of writing because writing parity data
slows it down. Rebuilding a RAID 5 array after a disk failure can also take a while.
RAID level 6
RAID 6 is like RAID 5, but with a difference: in RAID 6, parity data is written to two disks.
This means you need at least four disks for RAID 6. Plus, RAID 6 can handle two drive
failures at once.

While RAID 6 offers more security, it's slower in writing because of extra parity data. It's
chosen over RAID 5 for better fault tolerance. RAID 6 balances storage efficiency,
security, and performance well.
Recovery Techniques
Different Types of Data Recovery Systems
Organizations use different data recovery systems to retrieve lost data to choose the right
one for your company, evaluate your data and systems thoroughly first. Once you've
assessed your data, you can select the appropriate recovery method for your business
from various options available.

Bare Metal Recovery

For bare metal recovery, you need to back up the entire system, including the operating
system, software, and data. This method allows you to restore the entire system in one
step, saving time during recovery. By reinstalling the OS, and software, and restoring
data, you can avoid reformatting everything.

Online Disk Backup

Data that changes regularly each day can be backed up more frequently using online disk
backup, which is perfect. Which provides flexibility for enterprises needing frequent
backups of critical data and occasional backups of less important data. This method can
save time and money, but it's important to research and choose a reputable provider that
follows security guidelines.

Continuous Data Protection

Continuous data protection (CDP), also called continuous backup, speeds up recovery
time by simultaneously backing up data to both an offsite location and your local network.
With CDP, if there's onsite data loss, it can access the offsite backup.

It also maintains a log of data changes since the last backup and uses two backup
methods. CDP systems are easy to install, and recovery time is quick if they have disk
storage. Many companies are adopting CDP because it continuously monitors and backs
up data updates onsite and offsite.