Citipro

1. Test your backups often

Storage media such as tapes, DVD or CDs can get corrupted or erased, it is important to test your backups by doing a test restore (to a secondary location) to ensure your backup media is accessible and the data is in good shape. Do this with every tape or disk you back up to on a periodic basis, such as once every 2 months.

2. Keep your backup software updated

Software vendors often release software updates that fix certain problems with backup schedulers, data integrity and so on, so make sure you keep your software up to date. It's normal for software vendors to release updates on a periodic basis, so make sure you're always running the latest version.

3. Be careful of storage

If you can, store your backup media off site or in a fireproof media safe. Don't place backup tapes near monitors or uninterruptible power supplies Electromagnetic fields coming from computer monitors, uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) and even printers can corrupt data on backup tapes or erase it altogether.

4. Password-protect your backup media

This can help keep the data from unauthorized access in the even of theft. Some backup software even supports encryption, so consider that, as well. It'll take more time for the backup, but it will be more secure.

5. Clean your tape drive

If you use a tape drive for backups, it's imperative to run a cleaning tape in the drive once a month or as frequently as the drive manufacturer recommends. This will lengthen the life of the tape drive and tapes and also improve the integrity of the data being written to the tape; if the head is dirty, the data that can be written to the tape, if any at all, will be corrupt.

6. Automate your backups

If your software supports it, automate your backups so you don't have to worry about it every day.