By Sam | March 2, 2014

The 3-2-1 Rule: Credit Union Backup Strategy

According to CERT (US Computer Emergency Readiness Team), “All computer users, from home users to professional information security officers, should back up the critical data they have on their desktops, laptops, servers, and even mobile devices to protect it from loss or corruption. Saving just one backup file may not be enough to safeguard your information. To increase your chances of recovering lost or corrupted data, follow the 3-2-1 Rule:

• 3 – Keep 3 copies of any important file: 1 primary and 2 backups.
• 2 – Keep the files on 2 different media types to protect against different types of hazards.
• 1 – Store 1 copy offsite (e.g., outside your home or business facility).”

Offsite used to mean a hard copy or duplicate tape was made and physically transported to an offsite location. There were many risks in this strategy including loss of the media, long time to access the tape during a crisis and corruption of the tape. Fast forward 10 years or so and cloud backups have emerged as the go-to Credit Union backup strategy for secure and reliable offsite storage.

Benefits of Cloud Storage:

• Allows for reduced RTO/RPO
• Helps protect against worst-case scenario such as natural disasters or loss of data center
• Anytime access to data and applications anywhere there is internet
• Often ensures regulatory compliance for the handling of sensitive data

Good questions to ask a cloud storage provider:

• Ask about the providers infrastructure – is it a private or public cloud?
• What encryption methodologies are employed for transmission? Is the data encrypted end-to-end?
• What are your security policies for segregation of data from other cloud users?

Before you entrust your critical data to a cloud services provider, carefully check the service agreement for:

• Service Level agreements
• Security Practices (including encryption methodologies and access controls)
• Regulatory standards and certifications

Credit union should consider cloud backups to meet the 3-2-1 rule and to improve overall operational resiliency. Does your backup strategy follow the 3-2-1 rule? We love to help our Credit Unions assess the current IT strategies. For assistance, please fill out the short form below and we will reach out to help.