Continuity guide

Backups, data recovery and continuity

Backups are one control within continuity. They protect certain data recovery needs but do not by themselves restore a complete business service.

BackupData

Editorial review: August 11, 2026 · Adrian M. Westbridge

Recovery point

Backup frequency and replication affect how much data may need to be recreated.

Recovery time

A backup that takes too long to restore may not support the activity's recovery objective.

Dependencies

Applications, encryption keys, identity, infrastructure and external services may be needed before recovered data is usable.

Testing

Restore tests are stronger evidence than a dashboard that merely reports successful backup jobs.

Business continuity is organization-specific. Recovery priorities, legal duties, safety requirements, contracts, insurance terms and technical recovery methods should be validated by the responsible people in the organization.