CANADA NEXTECH / 75-SECOND EXPLAINER
Backups: prove you can restore
A short visual explainer on planning a safe restore exercise and checking whether recovered business information is usable.
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NOW PUT IT TO WORK
Backup and Restore Testing Checklist
Work through 12 checks and record evidence, owners and next steps.
Full transcript
The video uses on-screen text throughout. The complete explanations are also available here.
Prove you can restore.
A backup job and a useful recovery are different checks. Start with a small, planned restore exercise.
Choose what matters.
Identify the files or service in scope. Agree how much information loss and downtime the business could tolerate.
Protect the backup path.
Review separate copies, restricted administrator access and the keys needed for recovery. Confirm what your provider actually protects.
Plan a safe destination.
Choose an approved operator and separate test location. Confirm that the exercise will not replace production information or interrupt services.
Recover the sample.
Use the provider's supported instructions. Record the copy used, the time required and any errors or missing information.
Check that it works.
Have the business owner open and check the recovered information. Involve a specialist when testing an application or its dependencies.
Write down the gaps.
Compare the result with your recovery needs. Give unresolved items an owner and target date, and arrange the next test.
Make recovery practical.
Use the Canada NexTech restore checklist for a planned exercise. If compromise is suspected, follow your approved incident-response process.
Sources behind the guidance
Prepared by Canada NexTech. Source guidance checked October 28, 2026.
- Cyber Centre: Baseline controls for small and medium organizations ↗
- Cyber Centre: Foundational security actions (ITSAP.10.300) ↗
- Cyber Centre: Backing up your information (ITSAP.40.002) ↗
This is independent educational material, not an endorsement by the source organizations. Apply the guidance to your own systems with the person responsible for your IT. A completed checklist is not a certification or a complete security assessment.