Define the recovery need
Identify the data and systems that matter, how much recent change could be lost and how long the business could operate without them. These requirements guide the backup approach.
Choose retention deliberately
Retention is the number and age of restore points you keep. Consider operational needs, accidental changes and applicable record retention obligations. Storage space alone does not describe a recovery policy.
Keep access under control
Separate backup access from everyday application access where practical. Document who can create, restore and delete copies. Keep recovery instructions available if the main environment is unavailable.
Rehearse a restore
Test whether a selected copy can be restored and whether the application works with the recovered data. Record the date, duration and any follow-up action. A completed copy task is not a complete recovery test.
Assign responsibility
Make ownership clear: who checks backup tasks, follows up errors, approves a restore and updates the instructions. Agree any coverage or response targets in the service scope.