Operational Procedures: implement workstation backup and recovery methods Flashcards
CompTIA A+ 220-1102 Exam Criteria
What are the back up types that you could implement on a workstation?
Full
Incremental
Differential
Synthetic
What does a full back up do?
A full backup is an exact duplicate of all user-created data files that have been scheduled to be backed up. Administrators or users who are authorized to run and schedule backups will determine the scope of what will be backed up. Typically, files used by applications, metadata, logs, tracking files, and other control and management files will be copied. Applications, operating systems, and other software are typically not copied during a full backup. Other techniques and clean installs with backed-up data can be used to recreate that information.
The archive bit is used to recognize what needs to be backed up. It is a bit that is activated whenever a file is changed. The computer searches for this archive bit to determine what to backup. The archive bit will then be reset for each changed file following a full backup. If any data is missing and a drive fails, you will lose it; a full backup will be the starting point for all backup schemes.
A full backup is the most expensive backup we’ll look at because it takes up the most disk space compared to other backups. A full backup is not the only type of backup used in most business environments. The high cost of storing the same data multiple times outweighs the benefits. This type of backup is also the most time-consuming to complete. Due to the high cost, network traffic and time of day should be considered. This task will typically be done at the end of the day when the user has closed out all of the files and logged off for the day.
Another thing to consider in security would be if the file were to become compromised, a threat actor would access all the files and data. Proper storage and secure measures need to be taken with backups to ensure data safety. When it comes to backend recovery, a full backup is the quickest because it is the only recovery file required. Another advantage is that full backup files are much easier to manage than others.
What does a incremental back up do?
Incremental backups will begin with a full backup. After a full backup, any changes made to the files are tracked by the archive bit. If the system is configured for incremental backups, any changes made will be backed up, and the archive bit will be reset. Every Sunday, for example, a full backup is run. The remaining days will be incremental. As a result, any changes made on Monday will be backed up, and the archive bit reset. On Tuesday, any changes made would be backed up, and the archive bit reset. This takes up less space than full backups because incremental backups only record changes to the data each day. It will also be quicker to do these incremental backups because less data is being backed up.
When it comes to backend recovery, incremental backups take the longest to restore because each backup file must be loaded sequentially in order to restore the data. The full backup would be uploaded first, followed by Monday’s changes, Tuesday’s changes, and so on, until the restoration is complete. With the number of backups being created, this type of backup can also become very time-consuming to maintain. Third-party software or the use of scripting, PowerShell, and Azure cloud platform can be used to create this backup strategy.
Incremental back up advantages?
Incremental
Partial data sets
Copies all data from last full or incremental backup
Fastest backup times
Least storage accrual
Lowest bandwidth consumption
Slowest restore time
Most common
If you lose data at some point in time the increment data will be lost and will back up from last full back up set
What does Differential back up do?
Differential backups will always start with a full backup. The archive bit tracks any changes made to files after a full backup. If differential backups are enabled, any changes made will be backed up, and the archive bit will not be reset. A full-back, for example, is run every Sunday. The remainder of the days will be differential. As a result, any changes made on Monday will be backed up, and the archive bit will be kept enabled. On Tuesday, any changes made and the changes made on Monday would be backed up, and the archive bit would be left on. Wednesday would include the changes from Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. This requires less space than full backups but more than incremental backups because you are capturing each day’s differential and all previous changes that have occurred since the last full backup.
Differential backups will also be faster than a full backup but slower than an incremental backup. Less data is backed up than full backups, but the same data plus redundant data is backed up in each backup compared to incremental. When it comes to backend recovery, differential backups take longer to restore than full backups but less time than incremental backups. The full backup would be uploaded first, followed by the last differential, because the last differential contains all of the changes made since the last full backup, instead of uploading each of those days sequentially as in an incremental. Third-party software or the use of scripting, PowerShell, and the Azure cloud platform can be used to create this backup strategy.
Differential back up advantages?
Differential
Gradually increasing data sets
Middle ground approach
Lower storage, time and bandwidth consumption than full backups
What is Synthetic Full backups?
This backup technology combines full backups with incremental backups. As an example, on Sunday, a full backup will be taken. The remainder of the week will be devoted to incremental backups. An incremental backup will be taken when the full synthetic backup day arrives. Following that, a full synthetic backup will be created by combining the original full backup with all incremental backups. When finished, the synthetic backup will contain all of the original information from the first full backup as well as all of the changes that occurred. The incremental will be removed, and the space will be made available. The full synthetic backup will be the new backup starting point, and changes will be tracked using incremental until the next synthetic backup.
Frequency of Backups & Testing?
Frequency of Backups & Testing
The frequency of backups will be determined by the needs of the company and the type of data being stored. Continuous backups may be required, or data may be backed up less frequently. The first thing to look into is laws and regulations to see what should be done with the different types of data that are being stored. Then, a backup strategy must be devised, which includes where the data will be stored, what types of media will be used to keep it, and the frequency with which it must be completed. In general, important information should be backed up daily, but this may need to be increased or decreased depending on the data’s criticality.
Backups are not simply stored and forgotten about once they are created. They must be tested to ensure that they will work and that the backup and recovery plan will work. They will not be tested in a live production environment but rather in a sandbox environment where the restoration process will have no effect if it fails. If a failure occurs, there is enough time to redo the backup and not lose data.
The storage of this data can quickly consume a lot of space. Files are archived to help with this, which groups multiple data files into a single file to reduce storage space or even compression. When information stored on a hard drive or a tape drive is no longer required on that drive, it is returned to the backup rotation and overwritten. The quality of the drives and tape drives degrades over time, so rotation is required to ensure the longest possible life.
On-site vs Off-Site
On-Site backups are those that are kept in the same location. They are kept there for easy access and quick data restoration. Typically, hard drives or tape drives will be used to store the data. There is software that can automate the process and keep backups. One advantage of on-site data backup is that the organization is solely responsible for data storage and security. The data would be in the hands of the cloud provider if cloud services were used. Some industries may have rules in place to prevent this from happening and may require you to manage the data. A disadvantage is that if there is a disaster, there is the potential to lose all the backup information.
Offsite backups are backups that are kept in a separate location. These could be a centralized location where all backup tapes and drives are shipped to and stored for the required period of time, or they could be a situation where a cloud provider is used. When using cloud services, the data is typically stored on a server in a data center. The type of data stored will determine whether cloud services can be used or whether the organization must maintain data control at all times. Although these data centers are heavily fortified, cloud breaches do occur and must be considered a threat. This type of backup is critical for when natural disasters occur because the data can be downloaded from anywhere where there is an internet connection, allowing the operation to be restored and up and running as quickly as possible.
What are the three recovery sites?
These are three different types of recovery sites for when disasters happen. Each of the sites listed has its benefits and drawbacks. One thing in common with the three types of sites is that these sites should be located somewhat close to the original site. If the site is affected, the employees will need to be able to drive to the new site to perform their work. Usually something within a 75 - 100 miles radius from the original site. This is a general suggestion; each situation will need to be judged on the true need.
What is a cold site?
This site is not immediately available during the recovery phase and takes the longest duration to setup and run. Networking equipment must be installed, including servers, end-user computers, and software. The data upload must be completed. Typically, this type of site is not configured except for the power to the building and environmental controls such as cooling for the server room. Compared to a warm and hot-site, one advantage of this setup is that it does not have a high cost. The downside is that this type of site can take several days or even weeks to setup.
What is a Warm site?
This type of recovery site is exactly what it sounds like, right in the middle of cold and hot sites. All of the features of a cold site are present, but it also has the necessary equipment and a network connection. In the event of a disaster, additional resources may need to be brought in for the setup, which is an expensive process. This facility’s data will be out of date. In the event of a disaster, any other setup will be completed, and the data will be uploaded. This type of facility can typically be up and running in a matter of hours.
What is a Hot Site?
This site has everything set up and ready to go. There is a structure, electricity, computers, and a network in place, and the data is backed up in real-time. This type of site has very little downtime and can be up and running almost immediately. There is a financial cost associated with the hot site. The energy required to power the servers and cool the building may be prohibitively expensive for most businesses. The cloud is becoming an increasingly appealing option for meeting this need because of the on-demand features and the ability to spin up virtual machines in the cloud and operate remotely without the overhead of an expensive building, electricity, and cooling.
What is the concept of Grandfather-Father-Son?
This backup scheme was designed to keep a complete backup of the machine while requiring the least amount of storage space. The backup types of names are Grandfather, Father, and Son. In most cases, the grandfather will be a machine image that will be stored offsite at another branch or possibly in the cloud in case of disaster recovery. This type of backup is typically performed every month. The father would then take a full backup of the machine but save the information locally for faster access and recovery. The backup is typically performed every week. Son will typically use incremental backups and will be the most commonly used type of backup done every other day. An additional backup, the great-grandfather, which is a yearly image of the machine, can be added.
To visualize this look on a calendar. Every Sunday, full backups will be created (father). Every other day will be incremental (son) except the last day of the month when an image of the machine will be taken and stored in the cloud (grandfather). This type of backup necessitates extensive planning and preparation, but it provides a high level of redundancy with multiple recovery points that can be used to restore the data. The use of incremental helps to save storage space but can make the recovery process time consuming and resource intensive. Third-party software or the use of scripting, PowerShell, and the Azure cloud platform can be used to create this backup strategy.
What is the 3-2-1 Backup Rule?
The data Should be duplicated THREE times, TWO of the three copies should be kept on site and not on the same media.
The final copy of the three comes into play. The 1 in 3-2-1 is for the copy that should be kept offsite for disaster recovery purposes. There is no such thing as a perfect strategy, but this is a solid choice that gives the administrator flexibility with data recovery options.
