Purpose
The ITS Server Backup Policy aims to clarify backups, and define the roles and responsibilities for backup creation, restoration, and verification of data on systems managed by Information Technology (ITS), whether hosted in the Wickes Hall Data Center or South Campus Complex B Data Closet.
Policy / Procedure
General Information
Server backups run nightly.
Servers will be backed-up per the ITS Server Backup Category and Retention Schedule.
Backup verification is detailed in the Backup Verification Schedule contained in this document.
Systems not maintained by ITS will not be backed-up unless arrangements are made.
New ITS-maintained servers will be put in their appropriate Server Category based on the ITS Server Backup and Retention Policy at creation.
It is important to understand that the backup retention period is not the same as the document retention period. See the Definitions section in this document for additional information.
Cloud Backups
- Azure cloud servers are not backed up.
- AWS cloud servers are not backed up. There are currently two AWS servers, an outside vulnerability scanning tool and NS3 for DNS.
- O365 cloud products are not backed-up by ITS. For SharePoint/OneDrive for Business Preservation Hold is turned on and in extreme cases, a file could be recovered. However, it is not the intention to use Preservation Hold as the backup.
ITS Server Backup Category and Retention Schedule
Note. O365 cloud products are not currently backed-up by ITS.
| Backup Retention |
|
Backup level
|
Rotating Days
|
Years
|
|
|
Bronze – The backup job kicks off at 1 AM.
|
7
|
0.02
|
|
|
Silver – The backup job kicks off at 12 AM.
|
14
|
0.04
|
|
|
Gold – The backup job kicks off at 1 AM.
|
31
|
0.08
|
|
|
Platinum – The backup job kicks off at 2 AM.
|
186
|
0.51
|
|
|
Diamond – The backup job kicks off at 12 AM.
|
730
|
2.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bronze - The test systems should not need to go back more than 7 days.
|
|
|
|
Silver - Systems with limited changes
|
|
|
Gold - Base protection of key servers. If it is broken, we should know before the 31-day expiration.
|
|
|
|
Platinum - Same as Gold, with longer retention.
|
|
|
Diamond - Critical systems that are key to University Business.
|
Server Category
|
Recommended Backup Policy
|
|
|
|
Test (SA type systems)
|
Bronze
|
|
|
|
Department File Servers (Dept01-04)
|
Diamond
|
|
|
|
Databases
|
Gold
|
|
|
|
File Servers
|
Platinum
|
|
|
|
Infrastructure
|
Gold
|
|
|
|
Critical Application Servers
|
Gold
|
|
|
|
Web Servers
|
Silver
|
|
|
|
Application Servers
|
Silver
|
|
|
|
Pre-Production (EA Systems)
|
Silver
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Backup Schedule
Backups are verified on a random rotating basis each month per the following table.
|
Database
|
|
Web Servers
|
|
File Servers
|
|
|
|
Month 1
|
|
Infrastructure
|
|
Test
|
|
Email Infrastructure
|
|
|
|
Month 2
|
|
Application Server
|
|
Critical Application Server
|
|
Pre-Production
|
|
Month 3
|
The verification will be done in a 3-month cycle. This process will be automated via TeamDynamix to have each set reviewed once per quarter by the systems administrators. The server categories have been divided evenly between the 3 months and a server will be chosen from each category to be verified. At the end of 3 months, the process will start over and a different server will be picked out of each category. If a server is found not to be backed up or a successful restore is not possible, proper steps will be made to ensure the server starts being backed up or future restores will be successful.