What is the 3-2-1 backup rule?

Three copies of your data, stored on two different media types, with one copy stored off-site. This structure means a single failure, whether ransomware, hardware failure, or a site-level disaster, cannot destroy all copies at once. No single event should be able to reach every backup copy simultaneously. We design backup programs to meet this rule and verify they do through quarterly tested restores, not assumptions. The verification step is where most backup programs fail. Many businesses have a backup that looks correct in the monitoring dashboard but produces errors or incomplete data when an actual restore is attempted under pressure. Our quarterly recovery tests simulate a real recovery scenario, time the restore against your defined recovery time objective, and produce a written result. If the restore fails, we know before the real incident does.

What is the difference between RPO and RTO?

RPO, or Recovery Point Objective, is how much data you can afford to lose, measured in time. If your backup runs nightly, your maximum RPO is 24 hours of data loss. RTO, or Recovery Time Objective, is how long you can afford to be down before the outage causes unacceptable business impact. We define both per critical system, which matters because a CRM and a payroll platform may have very different tolerance for downtime. Then we test actual recovery times against those targets. Most businesses discover their real recovery time is significantly longer than what they assumed, especially when attempting to restore from off-site backup under time pressure rather than a controlled test environment. The quarterly recovery test is where that discovery happens on your schedule, not during an actual incident.

Do you run quarterly backup tests?

Yes. Quarterly recovery tests are a core deliverable, not an optional add-on. Each test produces a written pass/fail result and a gap list. This is not a checkbox exercise where we confirm the backup job completed. It is an actual restore of the workload in question, timed against the defined recovery time objective, with the result documented and the gaps actioned before the next quarter. The distinction matters because backup jobs can run successfully and still produce incomplete or corrupt restores. The only way to know whether your backup works is to test the restore under conditions that approximate a real recovery scenario. We do this across your critical workloads on a rotating schedule, prioritizing the systems your business cannot operate without. The written result becomes part of your CTGA Technology pillar evidence for audits and assessments.

Is this the same as the backup work in Managed IT?

The Backup and Disaster Recovery offering inside Managed IT is part of the full infrastructure stack. This page covers the same program as a standalone engagement for businesses that need a dedicated backup audit, DR runbook, or ransomware recovery architecture without the broader managed IT umbrella. The scope is identical in both delivery models. Inside a managed IT retainer, backup and DR is one of the infrastructure components we monitor, test, and score quarterly. As a standalone engagement, the work is scoped to your specific backup environment and recovery requirements. Businesses that already know their backup is the weakest point in their recovery posture often start here and expand from there. Full program details are at /services/managed-it-services.

Service · Backup & Disaster Recovery

Backup and disaster recovery with tested restore times, not assumed ones.

Most backup programs are a story about what should work. The real test is the restore, and most organizations find out the restore fails when they actually need it. We design backup programs on the 3-2-1 rule, define RPO and RTO per critical system, run quarterly recovery tests with a written result, and maintain a DR runbook your team can follow at 2 a.m. without calling anyone.

Helix Stax builds and operates backup and disaster recovery programs as part of Managed IT or as a standalone engagement. The work starts with an audit of every protected workload: what is backed up, where the copies are, how long a recovery actually takes (tested, not assumed), and whether the backup survives a ransomware event that encrypts the primary environment. From there we design the program, implement the architecture, and test it quarterly.

The deliverable is not a backup product. It is a tested program with documented recovery times, a gap list that shrinks every quarter, and a DR runbook your operations team can execute without waiting for a consultant. This is the Technology and Controls pillar of the CTGA framework at work. The quarterly re-score tracks whether the backup posture is improving.

Backup and recovery audit checklist reviewed on screen during a DR planning session

Key service areas

What the work looks like.

Backup audit: every protected workload listed, RPO and RTO defined, and the current recovery time tested rather than assumed
3-2-1 backup architecture designed and implemented, on-site, off-site, and immutable copies where ransomware risk justifies it
Quarterly recovery test with a written pass/fail result and a gap list, an actual restore timed against the defined RTO
DR runbook maintained for each critical system, recovery sequence, responsible owner, vendor contacts, and the last successful test date
Ransomware recovery architecture: air-gapped or immutable backup tier, recovery sequence, and a tabletop exercise that walks through the scenario before it happens
Business continuity planning for the systems your revenue depends on, with manual workarounds documented for the period between a failure and full recovery

Named engagements inside this capability

How this shows up as a scoped engagement.

Backup Audit

The starting point for every backup and DR engagement. We inventory every workload, test the current recovery time against the stated RTO, and produce a gap list ranked by what would cost the most in a real incident. Most organizations discover their actual recovery times are measured in days, not hours.

Workload inventory: every server, database, and critical SaaS application listed with its backup tool, retention period, and last successful backup confirmed
RPO and RTO definition: for each critical system, how much data loss is acceptable and how long the business can operate without it, written and agreed before the test
Recovery time test: at least one workload restored from backup and timed against the defined RTO, with the result documented in writing
Gap list ranked by business impact: the findings ordered by what would cause the most damage in a real incident, with a remediation estimate per item

Backup Architecture

A backup architecture that survives the scenarios your business actually faces: hardware failure, ransomware encryption of the primary environment, and a site-level event. We design the 3-2-1 architecture, select tools that fit your environment and budget, and implement the program with documented retention and immutability settings.

3-2-1 architecture design: on-site copy, off-site copy, and where ransomware risk is high, an immutable or air-gapped third copy
Tool selection: Veeam, Acronis, Azure Backup, or Backblaze B2 scored against your workload profile, recovery requirements, and budget
Retention and immutability configuration: backup schedules set per workload RPO, immutable retention periods set where ransomware coverage requires it
Off-site replication setup: cloud or colocation replication configured, tested, and documented with the recovery procedure attached

DR Runbook and Recovery Testing

A DR runbook is the document your team picks up during an incident when you are unavailable. We author it per critical system, test it quarterly, and keep it current as the environment changes. The quarterly test produces a written pass/fail result, a timed recovery, and a gap list your next working session addresses.

DR runbook per critical system: step-by-step recovery sequence, responsible owner at each step, vendor contacts, and the last successful test date
Quarterly recovery test: a scheduled restore of at least one critical system, timed against the RTO, with a written result and a gap list
Ransomware tabletop exercise: a facilitated walkthrough of the scenario before it happens, the recovery sequence validated, and the gaps named in the room
Runbook version control: every change to the environment reflected in the runbook within 30 days, with a change log so the current version is always identifiable

How we engage

Backup and DR at every engagement level.

Backup audits and architecture work run as scoped engagements. Quarterly testing and ongoing DR program ownership run inside the Helix Operate retainer. The documentation is the constant.

vCIO Retainer

Quarterly backup posture review, advisory on the immutable backup decision, and sanity-check on your current vendor's retention settings. We advise; your internal team or MSP executes the configuration changes.
Helix Engagement

A defined-scope backup and DR sprint: audit, architecture design, implementation, and the first quarterly recovery test with a written result. We own the work and hand off a documented program.
Helix Operate

Ongoing backup and DR program ownership inside the Helix Operate retainer. Quarterly recovery tests, runbook maintenance, ransomware tabletop exercises, and the monthly backup health check that confirms every workload is protected before you need to know.

What you walk out with

Concrete deliverables.

A backup audit with every protected workload listed, RPO and RTO defined, and at least one tested recovery time on the page
A 3-2-1 backup architecture document with tool selection rationale, retention settings, and immutability configuration per workload
A quarterly recovery test report: the workload tested, the time to restore, the pass/fail verdict, and the gap list for the next working session
A DR runbook per critical system: recovery sequence, responsible owner at each step, vendor contacts, and the last successful test date
A ransomware recovery architecture design with immutable backup tier, air-gap configuration where justified, and a tabletop exercise run before you need it
A quarterly CTGA Technology sub-score with the backup and DR gaps ranked by cost and business impact

Honest scope

What we do not do.

We do not resell backup software or storage hardware, and we do not collect referral fees from any vendor. We do not run 24/7 backup monitoring ourselves; that is a vetted partner function inside the Operate retainer. We do not guarantee recovery times for environments we have not audited; the RPO and RTO targets are defined and tested per workload, not assumed from a vendor spec sheet. We do not perform forensic data recovery from failed media; that requires a specialized data recovery lab, and we help you find one.

Industries we apply this to

Where this service shows up most.

You can have the number by Friday.

The free call is free, and the only thing you walk out with is your CTGA score and the three gaps that cost you the most. If we are not the right fit, you keep the score and we both move on.

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