Backup and Recovery

Strategy
Prepared by:
1-Ahmed Hesham Ahmed
2-Aml Moawad Mohamed
3-Haneen Sherif Hassan
4-Asmaa ElSayed Mohamed
5-Mohamed Ahmed Mondy
 1
Reasons of
failure
 What is Data?
Data is a business’s most valuable asset. You use data to
run your business. Your daily operations depend on
financial data, customer information, employee records,
product details
Database failures can occur bacause of a lot of reasons such as:
• User errors: for example, dropping a table by mistake, Incorrect Queries

• Hardware Failures:
1- Disk Failures: Hard drive or storage device failures can lead to data loss or make the
database temporarily or permanently inaccessible.
2-Memory Issues: Insufficient RAM or memory-related problems can impact database
performance and stability.
3-CPU Failures: Problems with the central processing unit (CPU) can lead to slow query
processing or system crashes.

• Catastrophic Events:
1- Natural Disasters: Events like earthquakes, floods, fires, or other natural disasters can
physically damage data centers, causing complete data loss.
2-Power Outages: Sudden power failures or electrical issues can result in the loss of unsaved
data and affect the database's availability.
3-Cyber Attacks: Malicious activities such as hacking can compromise the security and
functionality of a database.
 2
Data Backup
 What is Data Backup?
Data backup is the practice of copying data from a primary to a secondary
location, to protect it in case of a disaster, accident or malicious action. Data
is the lifeblood of modern organizations, and losing data can cause massive
damage and disrupt business operations. This is why backing up your data is
critical for all businesses, large and small.
Full Backups:
The most basic and complete type of backup operation is a full backup. As the name
implies, this type of backup makes a copy of all data to a storage device, such as a
disk or tape.
Advantages:
- Provides a complete copy of all data, making it straightforward to restore the
entire system in a single step.
- minimal time to restore data.
Disadvantages:
- Requires a significant amount of storage space to store the complete dataset.
- Full backups can be time-consuming to perform, especially for large datasets.
Frequency:
Typically, full backups are performed less frequently, such as once a week, bi-weekly,
or monthly. The exact frequency depends on the organization's data size, retention
policies, and how critical the data is. In some cases, organizations may even perform
daily full backups if their data changes rapidly or if they can afford the storage and
processing resources.
Incremental backups:
An incremental backup operation will result in copying only the data that has changed since
the last backup operation of any type. Backup applications track and record the date and time
that backup operations occur in order to track files modified since these operations.
Advantages:
- Efficient in terms of storage space because it only stores changes made since the last
backup.
- Faster to perform than full backups due to smaller data volume.
Disadvantages:
- During recovery, you may need to restore the last full backup and all subsequent
incremental backups in chronological order to reach the desired recovery point, which can
be time-consuming.
Frequency:
- Incremental backups are more frequent and are often performed daily.
- Daily incremental backups help minimize data loss between full backups.
Differential backups:
A differential backup operation is similar to an incremental the first time it is performed, in
that it will copy all data changed from the previous backup. However, each time it is run
afterwards, it will continue to copy all data changed since the previous full backup.
Advantages:
- Faster to perform during recovery compared to incremental backups because you only
need the last full backup and the latest differential backup.
- Consumes less storage space than full backups because it captures fewer changes than
incremental backups over time.
Disadvantages:
- Over time, the size of differential backups may grow, particularly if there are many
changes in the dataset, which can increase storage requirements.
Frequency:
- Differential backups are also relatively frequent and are typically performed daily.
- Less frequently than incremental backups.
Backup Types:
 RPO and RTO
• The choice of backup frequency should be based on the organization's recovery point
objectives (RPO) and recovery time objectives (RTO).

Recovery Point Objective (RPO):

It is the amount of data an organization is willing to lose if a disaster occurs, and is
determined by the frequency of backup. If systems are backed up once per day, the RPO is
24 hours. The lower the RPO, the more data storage, compute and network resources are
required to achieve frequent backups.

Recovery Time Objective (RTO):

It is the time it takes for an organization to restore data or systems from backup and resume
normal operations.

• So, RPO determines how much data an organization can afford to lose in case of a
disaster, while RTO specifies the maximum allowable downtime.
 3-2-1 Backup Strategy
• A 3-2-1 backup strategy is a method for ensuring that your data is adequately duplicated
and reliably recoverable. In this strategy, three copies of your data are created on at least
two different storage media and at least one copy is stored remotely:

Three copies of data:

Your three copies include your original data and two duplicates. This ensures that a lost
backup or corrupted media do not affect recoverability.

Two different storage types:

Reduces the risk of failures related to a specific medium by using two different
technologies. Common choices include internal and external hard drives, removable media,
or cloud storage.

One copy off-site:

Eliminates the risk associated with a single point of failure
 3
Data
Classificatio
n
 Data Classification

• Data classification is the process of organizing data into different categories according to
their sensitivity.

• The four major data classification types:

Public data: This data is available to the public and doesn’t need protection. It can be distributed
openly and is not sensitive in nature such as Company URL.

Private data: Internal data that’s only available to the employees of the organization, and is not open to
the general public such as Office memos.

Confidential data: Data that’s only available to authorized officials within the organization such as
employee records.

Restricted data: This data is highly sensitive and can lead to a huge loss for the company if stolen,
altered, or destroyed such as credit card numbers.
Recovery Model:
• A recovery model is a database configuration option that determines the type of
backup that one could perform, and provides the ability to restore the data or
recover it from a failure.
• A database can be switched to another recovery model at any time.
SIMPLE
The SIMPLE recovery model is the
simplest among the available
models. It supports full, differential,
and file level backups. Transaction
log backups are not supported.

The log space is reused whenever the SQL Server background process checkpoint
operation occurs. The inactive portion of the log file is removed and is made
available for reuse.
Point-in-time restore is not supported, can recover only to the end of a backup.
Reasons to choose the simple database recovery model:
•Most suited for Development and Test databases
•Simple reporting or application database, where data loss is acceptable
•suitable for scenarios where simplicity in database administration is a priority, and
the organization may not have the resources or need for more complex recovery
strategies.
•Databases that are predominantly read-only or read-mostly, where the data can be
easily recreated.
such cases, the need for point-in-time recovery may be minimal.

FULL
In this recovery model, all the
transactions (DDL + DML) are fully
recorded in the transaction log file.
The log sequence is unbroken and is
preserved for the databases restore
operations.
Point-in-time restore is supported.
Reasons to choose the full database recovery model:
•Supporting mission critical applications
To facilitate the recovery of all the data with zero or minimal data loss
•If the database designed to have multiple filegroups, and you want to perform a piecemeal
restore of read/write secondary filegroups and, optionally, read-only filegroups.
•Restore individual pages.

BULK_LOGGED
It’s a special purpose database configuration option and it works similar to FULL recovery
model except that certain bulk operations can be minimally logged. The transaction log file
uses a technique known as minimal logging for bulk operations. The catch is that it’s not
possible to restore specific point-in-time data.
Reasons to choose the BULK_LOGGED recovery model:
•If the database is subjected to periodic bulk operations.

Transaction log:
You must have created at least one full backup before you can create any log backups. After
that, the transaction log can be backed up at any time unless the log is already being backed
up.
We recommend you take log backups frequently, both to minimize work loss exposure and
to truncate the transaction log.

Tail log:
A tail-log backup captures any log records that haven't yet been backed up (the tail of the
log), to prevent work loss and to keep the log chain intact. Before you can recover a SQL
Server database to its latest point in time, you must back up the tail of its transaction log
 4
Backup
Storage
 Backup Storage
• Backup storage refers to the physical or virtual location where backup copies of data are
stored. It is a separate storage medium or device used to store duplicate copies of
important data as a precautionary measure against data loss.

Importance of Backup storage:

The purpose of backup storage is to provide a secure, reliable and accessible location to
store backups, ensuring that data can be restored in the event of accidental deletion,
hardware failure, data corruption, natural disasters, cyber attacks, or any other incidents
that could result in data loss.
So we can say that, by having backup storage in place, organizations and individuals can
ensure the safety and recoverability of their critical data in case of emergencies or
unexpected events.
 On-site backup storage:
On-site backup storage refers to the practice of keeping copies of important data and files at
the same physical location as the original data source. It involves storing backups on local
storage devices, such as external hard drives, network-attached storage (NAS) devices,
CDs, DVDs ,which are located within the premises of an organization or individual.

Advantages:
-immediate access to data
-less expensive
-Internet access not needed

Disadvantages:
-It may be vulnerable to physical damage, theft, or disasters that
affect the location, such as fires or floods.
 Off-site backup storage:
Off-site backup storage refers to the practice of storing copies of data and files in a location
separate from the original data source. Instead of keeping backups at the same physical
location, off-site backup storage involves storing data in a different geographical location,
often at a remote data center or a remote server to protect against localized events or
disasters that could affect the primary data and its on-site backups.

Advantages:
-It provides an extra level of data protection by eliminating the risks associated with
storing all backups in a single location.
-It also enables convenient access to data from anywhere with an internet connection,
simplifying disaster recovery and data restoration processes.

Disadvantages:
-Internet access is required.
-Cost-Effectiveness.
-Data restoration can be a lengthy process.
 Off-site backup storage:
The Two most common forms of off-site Backup storage are:
• Cloud backup :
This method involves backing up data directly to a public cloud, such as Amazon Web
Services (AWS), Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure
• Tape backup:
This method involves simply transporting physical media off site. During the tape backup
process, data is copied from primary storage to a tape cartridge. For off-site data
protection, an organization transports the tape cartridges to another location.
 5
Data Recovery
 Database recovery:

Database recovery refers to the process of restoring a database to a consistent and usable
state after a failure or a loss of data integrity. Failures can occur due to various reasons,
including hardware or software issues, human errors, and system crashes. The primary goal
of database recovery is to ensure that the database remains in a reliable and consistent state,
even after a failure.

Recovery Methods:
• Point-in-time recovery: is a database recovery technique
that allows you to restore a database to a specific moment in
time, typically just before a failure or a data corruption event
occurred. This technique is essential for recovering a
database to a consistent state, even if the most recent backups
do not contain the required data.
 1.Specific Time Selection:
• Specify a timestamp or point in time for database restoration.
• Goal is to bring the database to the state it had at that exact moment.
2.Transaction Logs:
• Essential for point-in-time recovery.
• Record all database changes with timestamps.
• Analyzed to reapply committed changes and roll back uncommitted ones.

Recovery Process:
• Identify the Timestamp:
Determine the specific timestamp just before the failure or corruption event.
• Restore the Backup:
Start by restoring the most recent database backup as a baseline.
• Apply Transaction Logs:
Apply transaction logs from the backup's timestamp forward to reach the desired point
in time.
• Test and Verify:
Thoroughly test and verify that the database is now in the desired state after recovery.
• A complete system recovery:
Also known as full system recovery or bare-metal recovery, involves restoring an
entire computing system to a specific state after a major failure or data loss. Key
steps include identifying the recovery point, using a comprehensive system backup,
performing a bare-metal restore of the operating system, recovering applications
and data, configuring system settings, testing, and documenting the process. It is a
critical part of disaster recovery planning and ensures business continuity. Robust
backup solutions and a well-defined disaster recovery plan are essential for
successful system recovery.

• Partial data recovery:

Partial data recovery is the process of restoring a portion of lost or corrupted data
from a storage device or database after a data loss event. It focuses on retrieving
specific, prioritized data rather than attempting to recover the entire
dataset.Techniques and tools are used to assess and recover data, with an emphasis
on critical files. The integrity and accuracy of recovered data are validated, and the
availability of backups can complement the recovery efforts. Partial data recovery
is a practical approach when full recovery is not feasible or necessary.
 Recovery Tools:
Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN)

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

MySQL Enterprise Backup

Commvault
Quest Toad for Oracle
Arcserve
Thank
you
 References:
• https://www.digitalguardian.com/blog/data-classification-examples-help-you-classify-
your-sensitive-data#:~:text=Data%20classification%20is%20the%20process,private%2C
%20confidential%2C%20and%20restricted.
• https://cloudian.com/guides/data-backup/data-backup-in-depth/amp/
• https://blog.tbconsulting.com/critical-data-backup-and-recovery-strategy-best-practices
• https://www.percona.com/blog/what-are-full-incremental-and-differential-backups/
• https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/off-site-backup
• https://blog.etech7.com/backing-up-your-data-onsite-vs-offsite
• https://www.backupassist.com/education/articles/difference-between-onsite-and-offsite-
data-backup.html
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/backup-restore/back-up-and-
restore-of-sql-server-databases?view=sql-server-ver16
• https://www.cohesity.com/glossary/database-backup/
• https://www.sqlshack.com/understanding-database-recovery-models/