# Backup and Restore Test

> A recurring test that proves backups actually restore, because an untested backup is a guess, not a recovery plan.

**Category:** IT & Security

**When to use:** On a recurring schedule appropriate to the data's criticality.

**Trigger:** Scheduled backup-restore test

## Steps

1. Confirm backups are running on schedule and completing without errors.
2. Pick a real backup and restore it into an isolated environment.
3. Verify the restored data is complete and correct, not just present.
4. Measure how long the restore took against the recovery-time objective.
5. Confirm backups are encrypted and stored separately from the primary system.
6. Record the test result and fix any gap before the next cycle.

## Outputs

- A verified successful restore
- A restore-time measurement against the objective
- A recorded test result with any fixes

## Tools

- Backup system
- Isolated test environment

## Notes

An untested backup is a guess. The only backup you can trust is one you have restored end to end.

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Free SOP from the OrgTP Process Library — https://orgtp.com/process-templates/backup-and-restore-test
Run it live with your humans and AI agents at https://orgtp.com.