Backup readiness
This checklist is for the site administrator and host of a public body. A backup is only proven by a restore. The facts come from Backups: what to back up, Restore and restore tests and 10. After installing.
Contents
What is backed up
- To do: The database, with the tool of its engine (Database backups per engine).
- To do:
var/storage/and anyvar/<site>/storage/: uploaded files. - To do:
settings/override/andsettings/siteaccess/: settings and credentials. - To do: Keys that cannot be recreated:
settings/override/audit.ini.append.php(audit signing keys),settings/override/mailpreferences.ini.append.php(the e-mail preferences secret), Velocity's TLS keys if used (Keys and secrets). - To do: The audit directory
var/<site>/log/audit/. - To do: Your own extensions and designs, unless they are in a repository you control;
composer.jsonandcomposer.lock. - To do: Caches,
var/autoload/andvendor/left out: they are rebuilt.
How
- To do: Database and files taken at the same moment, with maintenance mode or with the accepted small gap (Taking database and files together).
- To do: A SQLite database copied with SQLite's online backup, never by copying a busy file.
- To do: Automated, with a failure alert to a person.
Where and how long
- To do: Stored off the server, in a second location.
- To do: Encrypted; readable only by named people (the backup holds database passwords).
- To do: Retention matches your records and privacy rules (Backup schedules and retention).
- To do: Data location of backups stated in the hosting contract.
Restore
- To do: A restore test at least once a year on another machine (A restore test on another machine).
- To do: After the restore: sign-in, a page with images, a form, the audit chain (
./console exp:audit verify). - To do: The time it took recorded: that is your real recovery time.
- To do: The runbook Restore from backup followed and improved.
Agreements
- To do: RPO (how much data may be lost) and RTO (how long a restore may take) agreed with your own figures (SLA options).
- To do: Who starts a restore and who decides to.
- To do: Backup copies returned or deleted at the end of the hosting contract (Exit readiness).
Related pages
- Government checklists
- Backups and restores (for site builders)
- Incident readiness
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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