The blog below is written by one of our Cowbell Rx partners, Verified Backups. Learn More about how Cowbell and Verified Backups work together to deliver high-quality cybersecurity solutions to Cowbell policyholders.
It’s always interesting how many things in our lives undergo regular testing, while there are some we leave out for some reason or other.
What are some things we test frequently?
1) Airline engines. According to Monroe Aerospace, commercial airplanes undergo a basic inspection every two days on average. Imagine getting on a plane and hearing an announcement like this: “Ladies and Gentlemen, ______ Airline is saving money this year. Our engines are now inspected annually instead of every other day as we did in the past. Would anyone stay on the plane? I wouldn’t!
2) The cars we drive. Each time we start our cars, they test a wide range of systems to make sure the car is safe and ready to drive. Among others, the car tests:
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- Engine management system
- Fuel system
- Ignition system
- Cooling system
- Emission control system
- Air conditioning system
- Airbag system
- Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
- Stability control system
- Light and signaling system
3) On a construction site, safety requires frequent testing:
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- Scaffolding
- Fall protection equipment
- Electrical tools and equipment
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Heavy machinery and vehicles
- Ladders and stairs
- Excavation and trenching equipment
- Fire prevention and suppression systems
- Emergency evacuation procedures
- Hazardous material storage and handling protocols
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4) Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) save lives. They need to be tested monthly and visually inspected often. You get the picture.
What do we NOT regularly test?
Spoiler alert: It’s our Backups.
A 2018 study found that 23% of all companies don’t ever test their IT disaster recovery plan. Imagine any part of our modern lives where it was OK not to test one out of 4 of anything.
Why do companies not test? Here are the reasons cited in the study:
- 61% cited insufficient time
- 53% cited inadequate resources
- 34% said that disaster recovery wasn’t a priority
- 11% said the disaster recovery process was too complex
- 8% said it was too expensive
What does your company do to test its critical database backups?
Verified Backups can help. Book a call with us here.
