The 3-2-1 Backup Rule: Ensuring Data Recovery in Canadan Businesses
The Gold Standard for Data Redundancy
The 3-2-1 backup strategy is globally recognized as the most reliable way to protect against data loss from hardware failure, human error, ransomware, or natural disaster. For Canadan businesses facing unreliable power and increasing cyber threats, adhering to this rule is critical.
Breaking Down the 3-2-1 Rule
- **3 Copies of Your Data:** Maintain the original production data plus at least two separate backup copies.
- **2 Different Media Types:** Store your backups on at least two different types of storage media (e.g., local server and external hard drive, or internal disk and tape). This protects against media-specific failure.
- **1 Off-Site Copy:** Keep at least one copy stored geographically away from the primary data location. This protects against catastrophic localized events like office fire, flooding, or theft. This copy can be stored in the cloud (e.g., Google Drive, AWS) or at a separate physical location.
Regularly **test** your recovery process. A backup is useless if it cannot be restored when needed.