You should test your backups because a backup you have never tried to restore is just a hope, not a safeguard. Regular restore testing proves you can actually recover your data, and shows how long recovery takes, so that during a real incident there are no nasty surprises. Backups fail quietly more often than people think, and the worst time to find out is when you need them.
Taking backups is only half the job. Here’s why testing is the half that really counts.
1. Backups fail silently
A backup job can appear to run while quietly missing data or producing copies that cannot be restored. Without testing, you simply do not know whether yours would work, until the day you desperately need it.
2. Testing proves recovery works
Actually restoring data from a backup is the only way to know it is good. We run restore tests so your backups are proven, not assumed, which turns backup from a checkbox into a real safeguard.
3. It shows how long recovery takes
Testing also tells you how long it takes to get back up. Knowing that in advance means you can plan around it, and there are no surprises about recovery time during a genuine incident.
4. It builds real confidence
For a firm that cannot afford to lose code, client data or trading records, tested backups are the difference between hoping and knowing. That confidence is worth a great deal when something goes wrong.
A real example: recovery proven, not assumed
We supported a software company serving financial trading firms where we ran scheduled data-restore tests, validating that data could genuinely be recovered rather than assuming the backups were fine. That is what turned their backups into a tested resilience control.
For most technology and trading firms, this sits within fully managed IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month, billed per user, with the security and resilience these businesses rely on built in.
Why technology and trading firms choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including software and technology companies and firms that serve financial markets. We know the systems these teams depend on: secure VPN and remote access, source control and build pipelines, virtual dev and test environments, Microsoft 365 and Teams, and the security that banks and regulators expect, from multi-factor authentication and endpoint protection to application allowlisting and email security. We work with technology and trading firms in London and across Essex and Hertfordshire. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we’ve been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, including Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Has anyone tested your backups lately? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT and we’ll prove they work.