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A-D

Backup and Restore

PREAMBLE

Azusa Pacific University maintains an extensive network infrastructure to support a wide variety of computing needs. The purpose of this policy is to define the server backup process. The backup system is primarily for the restoration of files in a disaster recovery situation but may also be used for restoration of lost or damaged user and system files.

DEFINITIONS

• A backup is the process by which server files are copied from disk to tape and/or disk to disk.
• A backup verify is the comparison of data collected by the backup to the source data.
• A FULL backup will include all files selected on the backup selection list for each server.
• An INCREMENTAL backup will include files changed since last FULL or INCREMENTAL.
• A DIFFERENTIAL backup will include files changed since the last FULL, INCREMENTAL, or DIFFERENTIAL.
• A DUPLICATE backup is a complete copy of a FULL backup.

SCHEDULE AND RETENTION

To disk – MS Exchange backend servers only:

FULL backups are run every night (7 days per week); stored on disk for 7 days.

To tape – All other servers:

FULL backups are run the first Friday of each month; stored in tape libraries 1 year. INCREMENTAL backups are run all other Friday’s; stored in tape libraries 3 months. DIFFERENTIAL backups are run Monday through Thursday; stored in tape libraries 3 months. DUPLICATE backups are run after FULL backups; stored in West Campus vault 7 years.

VERIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION

All back up jobs are automatically verified by the backup software and reviewed on a daily basis.

Restore capability is verified via a manual process performed by the Systems Engineering Backup Support Team. Every Monday, a sample of the prior FULL or INCREMENTAL backup that ran on the prior Friday will be restored to scratch disk to test the availability and viability of backed up data.

The backup system has an internal electronic log of backup job activity. A paper based Backup Log of backup job activity is kept and maintained daily by the Systems Engineering Backup Support Team in the Systems Engineering Office; daily backup job results are emailed to the Systems Engineering Backup Support Team by the backup system which are verified and filed. A list of the vault contents (long term retention location) is contained in the paper based Backup Log and also in electronic format.

AVAILABILITY

File restore requests are made via the IMT Support Desk. Data restores will normally be performed within 24 hours of request in alignment with the retention periods. Files will be restored to the state they were in at the time of the most recent backup or as close to the requested date as possible. The exception to the above is individual MS Exchange mailboxes, calendars, or public folders will not be restored; restoration of MS Exchange data is limited to system wide loss or damage.