- Do backups daily
- Do backups before an upgrade to your operating system
- Do backups before doing a significant batch activity (like merging of patron records). It is sometimes easier to back out
a change by restoring an older database!
- Keep two weeks worth of daily backups
- Keep 2 months worth of monthly backups
- Keep a yearly backup of the database. At the same time, back
up the specific copy of Theatre manager used to access the database.
If you upgrade later in the year, it means that you can still
access your old database using the old program without having to upgrade
that database too.
- Test your backups once a month by trying to restore from the
backup to make sure they are reliable.
- See if you can read the data. If not, your hardware may have
problems that need fixed.
- Do take a copy of your latest backup home with you. If
your machines are stolen or wiped out in a fire, the backup at home will
be your only friend!
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- Do not do backups to the same drive over and over
again unless you are also backing up offsite. All it takes is for a bad copy to be made and the
computer die to realize that you have nothing.
- Do not skip a day
- Do not ignore backup error messages from the computer that say backups didn't
work! Find out why and then
get the hardware fixed if need be.
- Do not do backups unreliable media.
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