BACKUP IS ONLY HALF THE STORY. CAN YOU RECOVER QUICKLY?

Backups are essential, but not enough if you can’t recover quickly and completely. For that, MSPs need a documented restore test plan to deliver on their promises during audits or incidents. What should be in your plan to cover all the bases? 

The scenario:

You need a quarterly restore testing procedure that works across clients, so that your team can rinse and repeat. 

The prompt:

You are the operations director in an MSP. 

Create a Restore Testing SOP that: 

  1. Defines test scope and frequency by system type. 

  2. Describes test types (e.g. file-level, VM, app, full site). 

  3. Sets success criteria and max RTO/RPO. 

  4. Captures evidence (e.g. screenshots, logs, sign-offs). 

  5. Documents failures and remediation plans. 

  6. Produces a client-safe summary for QBRs.