[chrisseaton]

> The cloud is not a backup

Of course the cloud is a backup. Why do you think it isn’t? Because it may break? All storage may break.

The cloud is a backup. Like all backups, you need multiple independent backups.

[jacquesm]

Ok, let me spell that out more clearly. Having something stored in the cloud does not mean that you no longer need backups.

[arethuza]

And you need to check that you can actually restore from backups - which is a step a remarkable number of people forget to do.

[kwhitefoot]

I was a Unix administrator responsible for backup many years ago. When I asked the manager of the IT department for funds to do a disaster recovery exercise I was turned down flat and told that no amount of discussion would change his mind.

We knew that we could restore individual files because users asked for them when they had accidentally deleted them but we had no idea whether or not our procedures for restoring the systems themselves would work.

Luckily we never had to find out.

[phone[phone]]

321 rule for backups: 3 copies, 2 different media, at least 1 off site

Something is not a backup if you haven't tested that you can restore from it.

All backups not in your direct physical possession should be encrypted before being written.

[cik]

Exactly this. I have onsite, and I have a cloud backup. They mitigate different risks, even for personal data.