As mentioned before, there are several ways to go about backing up and subsequently restoring your data.  Since it is impossible to describe all the possible options and variations, we will simply discuss how we ensure our production data.  You are welcome to mimic or incorporate our methods into your backup and restore methods. Please feel free to contact us for more information regarding Advanced Backup Routines if needed.

First, preventing a disaster is our primary concern! 

Therefore, our largest investment in our restoration plan is our storage and hosting system. 

We are unable to document our full setup and procedures because the products and operations involved are well outside the scope of this tutorial.  So we will just list the major portions of our Recovery Plan with short reasons as to why we choose this portion for our setup.

1. Battery Backup
1. Xtreme Performance Rack Tower Series 10kVA
2. Provides steady regulated power w/ external power source during power spikes or brown-outs
3. Provides extended power time to devices during power outages
1. Internet Connection and Gateway Server
2. Networking Devices (switches, routers, etc.)
3. Intel Modular Server
4. Domain Controller Server
    

2. Intel Modular Server
1. 12-disk raid 6 array including two dedicated hot swap drives
1. Provides data redundancy in case of multiple drive failure
2. Raid controller routinely checks the disks and file system for integrity and possible problems
2. SSD-drive based 2008 windows  host modular server
1. Maintains and hosts virtual machines
2. Provides access to the raid 6 storage
3. A second exactly the same modular server backup
1. ready to swap out immediately if the primary modular server fails
2. Primary SSD is routinely cloned to the secondary SSD whenever major changes are made in the host modular server
1. Server maintenance is performed and monitored manually and through automation, checking for error events, File system checks, and various updates and general server upkeep (this practice applies to all our servers, both physical and virtual)
    

3. Two virtual servers hosted on the Intel Modular Server 2008 base modular server system
1. Advantage database and data share host virtual system
1. Centralizes data storage and access
2. Allows for the greatest file security when hosting multiple practices
2. Terminal server hosts  virtual system
1. Provides limited and controlled access to the Medisoft client and data
2. Provides single troubleshooting environment for multiple clients in multiple locations
3. Reasons for virtual servers
1. Provides a stable unchanging environment for production work
2. Virtual drives are easily backed up
1. Virtual drives are backed up monthly to the raid array as well as an external USB drive
3. Ability to restore server setups on different hardware while having little effect on the virtual operating system
4. Ease of management and security
    

4. SpiderOak online backup
1. Secure online data storage at an excellent price, and includes data de-duplication (multiple identical files are only backed up once to save online storage space)
2. Local copy can be kept in case network connection is unavailable,
1. Our local copy is stored on our raid 6 array
3. Runs on a scheduled time only; it is very important not to run always or on automatic schedule
1. This applies to almost all online backup software as it continuously backups files as changes are made
2. If Medisoft is open and the backup utility is locking files to backup online, Medisoft will have various random errors and the chance of data corruption is significantly increased as time goes on
3. We use windows task scheduler to automatically run the --batchmode command line nightly
4. Multiple versions of each file, allowing the ability to restore specific files back to before a problem first  occurred
    

5. Tape drive backup performed on a non-Medisoft related system
1. Backups data from the network share
2. Second physical copy (besides the 'SpiderOak local copy')
3. Rotated on a weekly basis by day (past seven days of the backup data are available at any given time); at least one tape is kept at an off-site location at all times.
4. Provides alternative restore system in case the internet is down and SpiderOak's local copy is unavailable
5. Windows Task Scheduler and Microsoft Backup are used to schedule and perform the backups