Backup and Data Integrity: Applying the 3-2-1-1-0 Rule to Ensure Business Resilience
Backup: the foundation of digital security#
Data has become one of the most critical assets for any organization. Yet, backups are often neglected outdated systems, no testing, single storage location — until an outage, ransomware, or human error causes irreversible loss.
A proper backup strategy is not just about copying files; it’s about ensuring the ability to restore, anytime and anywhere.
Understanding the 3-2-1-1-0 rule#
The 3-2-1-1-0 rule, widely recognized in cybersecurity, relies on five simple principles:
- 3 copies of data (1 production + 2 backups)
- 2 types of media or environments (local disk, NAS, public cloud, private cloud, tape, etc.).
- 1 off-site copy (fire, theft, or disaster protection)
- 1 immutable or offline copy (protection from ransomware)
- 0 errors verified through regular testing and integrity checks
This approach is not just redundancy; it’s the backbone of true business continuity.
Key recommendations from ANSSI#
France’s cybersecurity agency (ANSSI) highlights three core principles:
- Isolate critical backups : keep a disconnected copy from production systems.
- Validate integrity and restoration : an untested backup is a useless one.
- Log and monitor : track backup health and alerts over time.
These steps form the basis of strong cyber-resilience.
Common mistakes to avoid#
- Not testing backups – discovering corruption only when it’s too late.
- Storing everything in one place – one incident can wipe out all copies.
- Ignoring retention policies – without history, you can’t roll back before corruption.
- Leaving backups unencrypted – exposing sensitive data to theft.
- Lack of monitoring – unnoticed failures can persist for months.
Solution IT approach: rigor, method, and visibility#
At Solution IT, backup is treated as a business continuity guarantee, not just a technical process.
Our methodology is based on:
- Risk and need assessment before any deployment, aligning protection with business operations.
- Implementing a full 3-2-1-1-0 architecture, tailored to each company’s size and objectives.
- Regular integrity checks and scheduled restoration tests.
- Periodic audits to anticipate capacity and strengthen resilience.
Our philosophy : every client must know where their data is, when it’s protected, and how to restore it.
In summary#
Backup is no longer optional — it’s essential to resilience.
Applying the 3-2-1-1-0 rule with discipline ensures your business can recover from any incident with confidence.