The short answer to this question is “data recovery.” Without a database backup, it’s impossible to recover data. If something goes wrong and a business can’t recover its data, it can be disastrous.
And as dangerous as not being able to recover is, it’s not an uncommon problem—scroll through enough forums, and you’re bound to find people all over the internet asking where their data has gone and how they can get it back. Without a recent data backup, the answer is “you can’t.”
RTO and RPO
Of course, generating database backups isn’t as easy as snapping your fingers, and different businesses have different backup and restore requirements. Here are two important business objectives to know about:
- Recovery time objectives (RTOs): RTO refers to the amount of time in which the business must be able to recover its data.
- Recovery point objectives (RPOs): RPO refers to the point in time to which they must be able to recover.
For example, the business might need DBAs to recover data to a backup made within the last day (the RPO) and may need it to be done within an hour of a disaster (the RTO). RPO is the point they need to go back to, and RTO describes how long it should take to do so. The business sets these requirements, and DBAs have to make it work.
How Does Cost Factor In?
Cost can mean different things for different people when it comes to database backups. Say, for example, the DBA in charge of a system learns they didn’t have any backups running for the first three weeks of the year. If something goes wrong, the DBA might have to go to the business and explain why they need to re-enter three weeks’ worth of transactions—they can only go back to December 31, after all. Businesses have to consider the cost of re-entering potentially massive amounts of data if DBAs don’t have backup copies ready when things go wrong.
Restoring Your Databases From Backup
One important thing DBAs can do is restore databases periodically to make sure they can do it when it matters. But what should a DBA do when they’re responsible for thousands of databases? It’s not feasible—or cost-effective—to restore every database all the time. Think about it this way. I have a friend who sets the price for king crab when the boats bring it into port. To set the price, he has to sample the crab—but by sampling the crab, he ruins it, and he can’t sample every single crab. My friend uses a formula to calculate how many crabs to take from the catch to get the most accurate price while wasting the least amount of crab.
Understanding the Benefits of Backup vs. Costs and Risks
Like everything else in IT, there will always be costs, benefits, and risks associated with database backups. Taking backups and restoring them periodically comes with monetary costs, and failing to take backups at all can have monetary and reputational impacts on the business. If things go wrong, DBAs don’t want to be caught without a backup in their back pocket and risk having lost data—understanding the importance of data backup solutions is often a careful balancing act of costs and risks every business has to consider.
If this information is helpful to you read our blog for more interesting and useful content, tips and guildelines on similar topics. Contact the team of COMPUTER 2000 Bulgaria now if you have a specific question. Our specialists will be asiisting you with your query.
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