The Hermit Hermit's Free Library  Computer Security

This article describes in detail the Child, Parent, Grandparent backup cycle.

Child, Parent, Grandparent Backup Cycle

When performed according to the following instructions, the Child/Parent/Grandparent backup method offers iron-clad security against loss of data.



Backup Name Frequency Storage Location Description
Child Daily Current set on-site, others off Four sets of media, each with four sub-sets sufficient to backup data (typically using a differential or incremental backup) Monday through Thursday. Rotate the four sets so a different one is used each week and rotate the sub-sets so a different one is used each day.
Parent Weekly Off-site Five sets of media, each with sufficient capacity for a full back-up. Rotate the sets, using one each Friday of the month to make a full back-up.
Grandparent Monthly Off-site Twelve sets of media, each with sufficient capacity for a full back-up. Rotate the sets, using one for a full back-up on the last Friday of each month of the year.


For complete details about backups and backup strategies, see Data Backup