| Backup Strategy and Disaster Recovery Policy |
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| Policy Statement |
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| The purpose of this policy is to set in place strategies to ensure the secure backup and recovery of important data that is stored by Curtis Fitch and all external networks. The data to backup includes management data files, administration network user documents, software, SQL data. |
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| The strategies in place will be robust enough to ensure the recovery of data in any circumstance, including fire, catastrophic hardware or software failure, file deletion or virus or hacker attack. |
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| Data can be destroyed by system malfunction or accidental or intentional means. Adequate backups will allow data to be readily recovered as necessary. The ongoing availability of important data is critical to the operation of the business and clients. In order to minimise any potential loss or corruption of this data, people responsible for providing and operating administrative applications need to ensure that data is adequately backed up by establishing and following an appropriate system backup procedure. |
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| Statement of Authority and Scope |
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| This policy is intended to detail the accepted good practice policies in the backing up and restoring of data on networked computer systems. |
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| The Network Manager provides the framework, design and implementation of backup strategies employed at Curtis Fitch. The Network Manager and authorised persons within the company are then responsible for the operation of these strategies. |
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| The Network Manager administers this policy with the full support of the Company Directors. |
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| Full Tape Backups |
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| The following data will be backed up every night onto backup tapes |
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Administration software data files |
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Administration network user documents |
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Client documents |
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Client SQL data |
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Administration SQL data |
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iSource application data files |
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| All data is to be backed up nightly onto backup tape drives installed off site. This is completed using a backup rotation system, with critical data backed up using a rotation system. Tape backups are kept in a fire proof facility off site. |
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| Incremental Backups |
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| Incremental backups (Any backup in which only the files that have been modified since the time of some previous backup are copied) are continuously executed and are stored on an external RAID device. |
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| This is to allow a roll-back of data and is primarily used for SQL data storage. |
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| Critical data stored is: |
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SQL data files and database logs. |
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Client Documents |
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Administration software data files |
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| Storage Access and Security |
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| All backup media will be stored in a secure, lockable area that is accessible only to authorised Curtis Fitch staff. |
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| Backups will be stored in a fireproof safe. |
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| All backup media that is not re-usable will be destroyed thoroughly in an approved manner. |
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| Off Site Storage |
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| All backup media will be stored in a separate off site location to the hosting servers |
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| Backup Logs |
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| The Network Manager will monitor backup logs to ensure that network data has been fully backed up. Backups will be regularly tested to ensure that data can be correctly restored. |
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| Disaster Recovery |
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| In the event of a complete network failure, power cut, server breakdown, fire or any other eventuality where the network is unavailable a disaster plan needs to be in place to ensure the continued smooth running of the business and client data access. |
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| This would include periods when the time taken to restore the network would take more than a day. |
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| The following emergency procedures would need to be in place ensuring continuity of business and full data access as soon as possible: |
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Replacement Hardware |
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Telecomunications Rebuild |
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Hardware Rebuild |
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Software Rebuild |
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Data Recovery or Restore |
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Testing |
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| The Network Manager will provide the key strategic decisions and guidance for the disaster recovery procedure. |
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