Security · Incident Readiness · 06
Backup recovery drills
Backup recovery drills rehearse the full recovery of critical systems from backup under realistic conditions, including the assumption that the attacker controlled the environment and the primary systems are untrustworthy. It is needed when recovery time has never been measured, when backups are tested only by file-level restores, when ransomware readiness depends on recovery, or when an insurer or auditor asks for evidence that recovery works at the scale an incident would require. The drills produce measured recovery times and recovery points for the systems drilled, the dependency and ordering problems that only appear when several systems are rebuilt together, the gaps between recovery capability and business expectations, and a record that converts an assumption into evidence.
Scope
What the review covers.
- Drill scenario and the systems in scope, from a single system to a full environment
- Recovery under adverse assumptions: compromised credentials, untrusted images, isolated network
- Ordering and dependencies between systems during rebuild
- Measurement of recovery time and data loss against objectives
- Observation of gaps in procedure, access, tooling and documentation
- Record and improvement plan
Deliverables
What you receive.
| Deliverable | Form |
|---|---|
| Drill plan | Scenario, scope, assumptions, measures |
| Drill execution | Supervised recovery with timing |
| Results report | Measured recovery time and point, gaps and dependencies |
| Improvement plan | Owned actions and the next drill |
Prerequisites
What we need from you.
- A recovery environment that does not interfere with production
- Access to backup platforms and restore procedures
- Availability of the administrators who would perform a real recovery
Related
Where this sits.
By David Selakovic · Published 2026-10-16 · Revised 2026-10-16 · Reviewed every 180 days
Questions
Asked before engaging.
How is this different from backup control checks?
Control checks verify that backups exist, are protected and restore. Drills rehearse rebuilding the business from them, in order, under pressure.
Can we drill without affecting production?
Yes. Drills run in an isolated recovery environment. Designing that environment is part of the plan.
How often?
Annually for a full-scale drill is a common baseline, with smaller drills more often. The results report tells you whether the cadence is enough.