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Database Backup and Recovery

Although most database systems have incorporated backup and recovery tools into their interfaces and infrastructure it is a good idea to understand what the backup and recovery process involves, beyond the work flow of using the tools. With the growing dependency in the workplace on information and general, and the information in your database specifically, there has never been a time when safe backups and reliable recoveries were more important. Are you maintaining your databases properly? Do they participate in a backup and recovery routine that checks on the health of the data? If you are not 100% sure of this, then you need to find out.

Database Backup and Recovery Needs

It is not just the data files that need to be part of the backup process. You must also backup the transaction logs of the database as well. Without the transaction logs the data files are useless in a recovery event. How often you choose to perform these backup routines is really dependent on the data requirements of your company. If you do not know what those are then you need to find out either by referring to them or asking for them to be created through a research and investigation process.

Backup and Recovery and Database Failure

Failure can happen for any number of reasons. There are three main ones that recur enough to be worth incorporating into your backup and recovery plan. User error is the number one reason for data damage, loss, or corruption. Included in this type of failure is an application modifying or destroying the data on its own or through a user choice. Recovery and restore to the point in time before the corruption occurred.

This returns the data to a clean position at the cost of any other changes that were being made to the data since the point the corruption took place. Any lost work will need to be re-entered or processes repeated if necessary.

Media failure can also cause data loss or damage. Media failure can happen when the media the data files or transaction logs are stored on fail. Most databases will be stored on computer hard drives or across groups of hard drives on designated servers. Hard drives are mechanical devices, just like automobiles, and are made up of parts and pieces that work together. Mechanical devices are known for failure and will need to be replaced once, or if, the data has been retrieved from them.

Backup and Recovery and Disaster

The third reason for database failure is a disastrous or catastrophic event. This can be in the form of fire, flood, or any naturally occurring storm. It can also happen through electrical outage, a virus, or the deliberate hacking of your data. Any of these can corrupt or cause the loss of your data. The true disaster will be the lack of data backup and or the lack of a recovery plan. Without data backup recovery is impossible. And without a recovery plan there is no guarantee that your data backup will make it through the recovery process.

Kalb is a contributor at Free-backup.info -- the home of the popular tool for online backup and recovery -- Back2zip. This article can be found at http://free-backup.info/database-backup-and-recovery.html