Validating Backups

Audience: All

Date: June 27, 2003

I've been involved in a couple of situations this month where customers could not restore a mksysb or a backup tape. To insure you don't get into this situation, I recommend checking your backups by periodically restoring them on a different machine.

Here are a few other guidelines.

• Backup before and after major changes
• Periodically test the backup by restoring on a different machine.
• Cycle backup tapes. Keep several backups tapes in case a tape goes bad.
• Clean the tape head monthly
• Replace tapes after they have exceeded the manufacturer's recommended duty cycle (usually 50-100 backups)
• Check the integrity of filesystems using fsck. You probably won't be able to restore a backup of a damaged filesystem.
• Choose the right backup command. For example, tar can't backup files larger than 2GB.

Data Recovery Services

When all else fails, here are a sources for data recovery from 4/8mm tapes. Note IBM can not endorse or recommend outside sources.

• IBM: contact your local rep.
• ONTRACK (800) 872-2599, http://www.ontrack.com
• ACTION FRONT, (800) 563-1167 http://www.actionfront.com/indexng1.html
• http://www.datarecoveryrichmond.com/
• Drive Savers 800-440-1904