The correct procedure for testing the integrity of a backup — tape or network — is a three-step process that can be completed in part or in whole, depending on what particular function of the backup you are interested in verifying:
- Perform a full restore of the tape or network backup to a temporary directory or separate test server. This verifies that the correct restore procedures are documented, detects media errors or problems with the network restore process, and confirms availability of the necessary data files.
- Run the UniVerse uvbackup tool against the restored data. This verifies that the database files are in a consistent, unbroken state.
- Launch Eclipse and process orders, run reports, etc. to compare the operation of the restored data with behavior in the live database. This verifies that the database’s important files are all available and in a state consistent with one another.