Backups

Backups are a critical aspect of data management, ensuring that data is protected against loss, corruption, or accidental deletion. The PDS platform offers robust backup solutions to safeguard data services. By automating the backup process and providing flexible storage options, PDS helps ensure data integrity and availability.

For more information about the backup policies interface in PDS and the procedures to add schedule policies and backup locations, see Backup policies.

Backup strategies in PDS

Effective backup strategies involve regular, automated backups and secure storage solutions. PDS provides the tools necessary to define these strategies, making it easier for organizations to protect their data.

Schedule Policy

This section in PDS allows users to automate the backup process by defining detailed backup policies. These policies determine how frequently backups are created and how long they are retained.

Defining a Schedule Policy:

• Frequency: Users can set the frequency of backups based on their data protection needs. Common frequencies include hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly backups.

  Example: An e-commerce site might schedule daily backups to ensure that they capture all transactions made during the day.

• Retention period: The retention period defines how long each backup is kept before it is deleted. This helps manage storage costs while ensuring that data is available for restoration if needed.

  Example: A financial institution might retain daily backups for a month and monthly backups for a year to comply with regulatory requirements.

Locations

This section in PDS allows users to configure where backups are stored. This flexibility ensures that backups are secure and accessible, whether stored in the cloud or on-premises.

Configuring backup locations:

• Cloud storage: Users can choose from various cloud storage services (for example, AWS S3 / S3 compatible, Google Cloud storage, Azure Blob Storage) for offsite backups.

  Example: An organization using AWS for its infrastructure might configure AWS S3 / S3 compatible as the backup location to leverage existing cloud storage resources and ensure geographic redundancy.

• On-premises storage: For organizations with strict data sovereignty requirements or those seeking faster recovery times, on-premises storage options are available.

  Example: A healthcare provider might store backups on-premises to comply with data privacy regulations and ensure quick data restoration.

Managing backup locations:

Users can edit, delete, or switch between different backup locations as needed. This allows for flexible and dynamic backup strategies that can adapt to changing organizational needs.

Example of Backup Configuration

Consider a multinational corporation with diverse backup needs:

Primary backup strategy:

• Schedule Policy:
  • Daily backups at 2 AM.
  • Retention period: 30 days.
• Location: AWS S3.
• Bucket name: corp-daily-backups.
• Region: us-east-1.

Secondary backup strategy:

• Schedule Policy:
  • Weekly backups every Sunday at 3 AM.
• Retention period: 1 year.
• Location: On-premises NAS.

Critical data backup strategy:

• Schedule Policy:
  • Hourly backups for critical databases.
  • Retention period: 7 days.
• Location: Google Cloud Storage.
• Bucket name: critical-db-backups.
• Region: europe-west3.