Identify business data, applications and existing copies before selecting backup tools.
Establish ownership and dependencies so important datasets are not omitted because they sit
outside the main server environment.
Deliverable
Data inventory and protection-gap review.
Plan where protected data is captured, stored and restored from. Align the design with
business priorities and platform capabilities, making retention, access and recovery
assumptions explicit.
Deliverable
Backup architecture and scope matrix.
Configure approved backup coverage for supported servers and workloads. Verify schedules,
credentials and capacity, then perform representative restoration checks before describing
the setup as ready for use.
Deliverable
Backup configuration and sample restore evidence.
Protect agreed business data on supported user devices through the selected platform. Define
coverage and user responsibilities, recognizing that a device backup is different from an
unrestricted copy of everything.
Deliverable
Endpoint protection scope and enrollment record.
Implement approved backup for selected cloud-hosted workloads. Review service boundaries and
data ownership so platform availability is not mistaken for a recoverable independent backup
copy.
Deliverable
Cloud workload policy and restore checks.
Configure supported backup of agreed Microsoft 365 data through the selected service.
Document licensed coverage, retention and restore options, checking representative items
with the customer's administrators.
Deliverable
Coverage register and restoration record.
Review supported export or backup options for important SaaS business data. Identify
limitations in available interfaces and explain what can actually be restored into the
application.
Deliverable
Export procedure and recovery limitations.
Configure approved protection for data held on supported network storage. Check permissions,
dataset selection and destination capacity, then verify that a representative recovery
follows the intended process.
Deliverable
NAS backup policy and restore result.
Set up an approved secondary backup destination separate from the primary environment.
Coordinate connectivity and capacity, documenting the dependencies needed to recover when
the main premises are unavailable.
Deliverable
Offsite copy configuration and transfer checks.
Translate business retention requirements into supported backup policies. Model capacity
implications and confirm ownership of legal or contractual decisions rather than inventing a
universal retention period.
Deliverable
Retention schedule and capacity assumptions.
Help business and technical owners define acceptable data loss and service interruption for
specific workflows. Use these objectives to guide design without guaranteeing times that
have not been demonstrated.
Deliverable
Agreed recovery objectives and priorities.
Document how application components depend on identity, databases, storage and connectivity.
Sequence restoration around those dependencies so recovered servers can support a working
business service.
Deliverable
Application recovery dependency map.
Write practical steps for restoring agreed services, including access prerequisites and
escalation ownership. Test the instructions with responsible staff and record gaps before
relying on the runbook.
Deliverable
Recovery procedures and test actions.
Restore representative files from the configured backup and verify usable content with the
owner. Record which version was recovered and any access or permission steps needed after
restoration.
Deliverable
File restore evidence and observations.
Exercise the agreed recovery method for supported virtual machines in a controlled
environment. Check boot, connectivity and application dependencies without placing
production data at unnecessary risk.
Deliverable
VM recovery report and improvement list.
Define the hardware, media and driver prerequisites for supported full-system recovery.
Validate the proposed method where practical and document equipment dependencies that may
extend recovery time.
Deliverable
Bare-metal recovery checklist and feasibility findings.
Configure available storage-use and job-status notifications on the chosen backup platform.
Assign recipients and actions so an alert has an operational owner rather than becoming
background noise.
Deliverable
Capacity thresholds and notification test record.
Move agreed protection policies to a replacement platform with a documented transition.
Preserve required historical copies and confirm new recoverability before retiring the old
arrangement.
Deliverable
Migration plan and recovery validation.
Examine the technology dependencies behind essential business workflows, including premises,
connectivity and people. Coordinate with the organization's continuity owner and keep
non-technology responsibilities explicit.
Deliverable
Technology continuity dependency register.
Walk the nominated team through backup operations and agreed restoration procedures. Confirm
ownership of access, testing and escalation so the implemented tools remain useful after the
project closes.
Deliverable
Handover record and operating instructions.