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Home > Data backup > The 3-2-1 rule

BACKUP BEST PRACTICE
A backup you have never restored is a hope, not a plan.

The 3-2-1 backup rule explained for small business

One USB drive plugged into the office computer is not a backup plan. Fire, theft, a failed drive or ransomware can take it out along with everything else. The 3-2-1 rule is the simple standard that keeps at least one good copy safe no matter what happens.

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321copiesstorage typesoffsite

The short answer

  • 3 copies of your data: the original plus two backups.
  • 2 different kinds of storage, such as a local backup device and the cloud.
  • 1 copy offsite, away from your building.
  • Today add one more rule: at least one copy that is immutable or offline, so ransomware cannot change or delete it.
  • Test a restore regularly. That is the only way to know it works.
3copies
2kinds of storage
1offsite
+1immutable or offline

What a good setup looks like

💻OriginalYour computers, server and Microsoft 365 or Google data.
🗄Local backupA backup device in the office for fast restores of a file or a whole computer.
☁Cloud copyAn offsite copy in a secure data center, safe from fire and theft.
🔒ImmutableLocked so nobody, not even an attacker with your password, can delete it for a set time.

How long to keep backups

Kind of dataCommon practice
Daily files and emailDaily backups kept 30 to 90 days
Month end and year endMonthly copies kept a year or more
Medical recordsHIPAA documentation 6 years, and California record rules for patient charts
Accounting and taxUsually 7 years
E-Rate records10 years. See E-Rate audit records

Your accountant, attorney or industry rules set the exact periods for your business.

Backup mistakes we see

  • One USB drive that stays plugged in, so ransomware encrypts it too.
  • Backups that stopped months ago and nobody noticed.
  • Only some computers backed up, not the one that matters.
  • Microsoft 365 or Google data assumed to be backed up when it is not.
  • Never testing a restore, then finding out it takes days or does not work.

How WENO handles your backups

1. Find what mattersComputers, server, cloud mail and files, and line of business software.
2. Build 3-2-1Local plus cloud, with an immutable copy ransomware cannot reach.
3. Watch it dailyWe are alerted when a backup fails, so it gets fixed the same day.
4. Test restoresRegular test restores, with a record for your insurer or auditor.
5. Restore fastOne file or a whole office, with the network protected by a WatchGuard® firewall so it stays clean.

Questions people ask

Is cloud storage like OneDrive a backup?

Sync services copy changes, including deletions and encrypted files. They help, but a true backup keeps older versions you can go back to.

How often should we test?

At least every quarter for important systems, and after any big change.

What does immutable mean?

The backup is locked for a set number of days. It cannot be changed or deleted, even by an admin account.

Data backupRansomware first hour planRansomware protectionMicrosoft 365 securityCyber insurance questionnaireWatchGuard firewalls
Know your backup will work before you need it.3-2-1, immutable, monitored and tested.
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Sources

  1. CISA: StopRansomware guidance on offline backups

General information. Retention periods depend on your industry and advisors.