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Backup and restore check
Backups fail quietly. The job reports green for months and the problem only shows up on the day you need the data. This is a short test you can run without a lab, and it tells you something real about your actual risk.
Continuity10 stepsUpdated 30 July 2026
Who this is for
Anyone who has been told the backups are fine but has never seen one restored.
Time needed: One hour, once a quarter
01
Before you test
Know what you're checking.
- List what's backed up - and say out loud what isn'tMicrosoft 365, laptops, line-of-business databases and anything a supplier hosts for you.
- Write down how much data you could afford to loseThat number is your recovery point. Compare it to how often backups actually run.
- Write down how long you could be downThen check whether anyone has ever measured a full restore against it.
02
The test itself
Start a timer. Genuinely.
- Restore a single deleted file from three months agoOld restores catch retention settings that quietly shortened.
- Restore a full mailbox to a test accountMail is the thing people miss first and the thing most often not covered.
- Restore one whole system or virtual machineThis is the one that exposes missing licences, keys and dependencies.
- Open the restored data and check it's usableA file that restores but won't open hasn't been restored.
03
Write it down
The record is the point.
- Record what worked, what took longer than expected and what failedOne page, dated, kept somewhere that isn't only on the network.
- Fix the gaps before the next test rather than after the next incidentMost tests find two or three small things; they're cheap now.
- Diary the next testQuarterly is enough for most organisations. Annually is not.
Worth watching out for
- Cloud does not mean backed up. Microsoft protects its infrastructure, not your deleted data.
- If backups live on the same network with the same admin credentials, ransomware reaches them too.
- Restores that require a person who is on holiday aren't restores - write the steps down.
Stuck on one of these steps?
Get an IT health check that reviews your support, security and Microsoft setup, then gives you a short, prioritised list of what's worth doing.