Backup Restore

Below some question audit checklist for backup process:

What SLAs are required for this server?
What is the role of this server? The role will have a direct impact on the backup options and requirements for it, and will directly feed into the remaining questions to be considered for servers. Sample server roles might include production, development, test, and quality assurance (QA).
Are there any special backup handling requirements for applications on the server?
Are there any special backup handling requirements for data on the server?
What times can the server be backed up?
What times are backups not allowed to occur?
What types of backups should this server receive? At minimum, most organizations will need to evaluate the necessity of the following:
Daily: What rotation between fulls, differentials, and incrementals are required?

Looking for harddrive duplicator that could clone your harddisk in fast way? here is the list. All of the list is hardware based and not software based. Using software based duplication will take a longer time. The harddrive duplication task usually need for Computer Forensic related task. Any other suggestion? (many thanks to guys in securitybasic mailing list for recommendation)

1. Image Master Solo3

Multiple data acquisition features such as IDE, Notebook and Serial ATA hard drives, plus Flash Cards and USB and FireWire connection, the IM Solo-3 can now capture data from SCSI hard drives in a transfer rate exceeding 4GB/Min. Acquiring data at high speed to two evidence drives simultaneously, the investigator can choose to hash the data captured on-the-fly with MD5 or CRC32, and seize in forensic sector-by sector format or segment file format (Linux DD). The data can also be acquired from suspect’s unopened computer at high speed through FireWire or USB 2 ports, and a Write-Protection device is built in for protection. Touch Screen, Biometric Option, Detection of Hidden Areas (HPA, DCO), Audit Trail, are all part of the features of this newly released unit.

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2. King Demi

Performs multiple functions such as HDD Test & Analysis, HDD cloning, HDD Recovery Multiple HDD Image backup (Linux DD image), HDD Erase and Clip. Works for any MFG ATA/IDE, S-ATA, and SCSI* 3.5" - 2.5" - 1.8" - 1.0" - 0.85" size HDD (Supports all PIO/UDMA modes, all Narrow/Wide/SCA, and Serial ATA Modes). Simple one-push button operation. HDD test (Spin/Random Seek/Verify/Read-Write-Read Test) without changing HDD data. Big Drive up to 144 PB (48Bit). Easy job management using automatically created Log file. Log File includes date & time, copy time, HDD information, bad sectors) CHS, Error Log and many others. Wipe disk space with DoD5220.22M, NSA, and Customized setting

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How to develop Disaster Recovery Plan for your company? This simple guidance from W. Curtis Preston in his book Unix Backup and Recovery tell us six step to develop Disaster Recovery Plan. Here is the list.

1. Define (un)acceptable loss / Risk Assessment

“…Before you develop a disaster recovery plan, decide how much you will lose if you don't. That will help you decide how much time, effort, and money to spend on a disaster/recovery plan…”

Curtis give pressure on define unacceptable loss, or in the other ways perform a Risk Assessment for entire scenario. As we know that risk could be transferred (insurance), mitigated (by control it) or even accept the risk.

2. Back up everything.

“…You have to make sure that everything is backed up-including data, metadata, and the instructions you'll need to get them back…”

Curtis said to backup everything, (as long as you can have it), the basic principle is we could protect any kind of asset that we have.

3. Organize everything.

You have everything on backup volumes. But can you find the volume you need when disaster strikes? The key to being able to find your backups is organization.