Backup Integrity

Backup Integrity is the property of a backup to be complete, unaltered and technically readable. A backup only fulfills its purpose if the data it contains can be correctly restored at the required time. A successfully reported backup job alone is therefore not sufficient proof of the actual usability of the backup.

Integrity checks can include checksums, hash procedures, consistency checks, regular test restores and application-specific validations. They help to detect transmission errors, damaged backup sets or unnoticed manipulation at an early stage. Especially in the case of long-term retention and after security incidents, the verifiable integrity of a recovery point is decisive for a trustworthy recovery.

Backup integrity supports structured Data Management and resilient Business Continuity Management, because it forms the bridge between “data has been backed up” and “data can be reliably restored”. Regular recovery tests remain an important practical proof.