Encrypted Cloud Backup: Why the Recovery Strategy Matters

Is strong encryption enough for secure cloud backup?

Strong encryption reliably protects your data. Whether you get the data back in an emergency is decided by the recovery path.

When you back up to the cloud, you take the backup copy out of the house. The copy thus survives any damage that hits the computer: burglary, fire, or water damage.

Back up in two stages: system rarely, user data frequently

The operating system and programs hardly change. Back up both once or twice a year as a complete image, around 100 to 200 gigabytes depending on the computer. User data changes daily and stays small. Back up the user data frequently and incrementally: then only the changes since the last run travel over the line, usually just a few megabytes. In an emergency, the image brings back Windows along with programs fully set up.

After every run, Langmeier Backup sends a message. It carries a date and proves that the backup was made. You can turn the message on or off in the email options of the backup job.

Encryption in the backup job

You set the encryption directly in the backup job. AES-256 is the standard. The data leaves the computer encrypted. Without the password, no one can restore the data, not even the manufacturer, because there is no back door.

Write down the password in a protected place. A second person must also know the password so that recovery works without the person responsible. If you have to prove which country the data is located in, clarify the location in writing with the provider before signing the contract. Keep the access credentials for the backup destination separate from the backed-up system.

Walk through the recovery

Langmeier Backup handles the recovery. In the recovery wizard, you first restore the complete image, then the latest changes to the user data. Your data is then back at the state of the last run.

In day-to-day operations, clarify three questions: Who performs the recovery? Who takes over when that person is away? And how many hours of downtime can the business tolerate?

Once a year, walk through the process on spare hardware, on a quiet afternoon. After that, you know: The concept holds up, and your specialized application starts with the restored data.

You can find more posts on encryption and cloud backup in the blog.

> The recovery path, walked through once a year, turns the encrypted backup into a viable concept.