Short answer: restore time depends on how much data you have, how it is backed up and how fast it can travel back to you. That is why we agree recovery targets with you in writing, build the backup to meet them, and test restores so the first time you find out how long it takes is never a real disaster.
What decides how long a restore takes
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Amount of data | Restoring 200 GB is a very different job from restoring 5 TB |
| Where the backup lives | A local copy restores far faster than one that must come back over the internet |
| Your connection speed | Cloud restores are limited by download bandwidth |
| What you restore first | Restoring email and the line-of-business system first gets people working sooner than restoring everything |
| Backup method | Image-level backups can bring back whole servers; file-level backups restore documents only |
How we keep recovery quick
- Agree the targetsWe work out with you which systems matter most and how long you can be without each one.
- Design the backup to matchLocal and cloud copies, with an offline or immutable copy so ransomware cannot touch it.
- Monitor every dayFailed jobs are spotted and fixed, not discovered during an emergency.
- Test restores regularlyWe restore real files and systems to prove the backup works and to measure the time.
- Document the recovery planWho does what, in what order, and who to call. Kept up to date and easy to find.
Questions to ask any provider
Ask for the recovery time and recovery point for your key systems, when the last test restore was done, and whether a copy is kept somewhere ransomware cannot reach. If the answer is vague, the risk is yours.
Sources and further reading
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Talk to a real person at our Burgess Hill office. We are an NCSC Assured Service Provider and have supported Sussex businesses since 1996.