Guide
How to prove recoverability before a customer incident
A backup that has never been tested is an assumption. Here is how MSPs turn assumptions into evidence.
Most MSPs can confirm that backups are completing. Fewer can confirm that those backups would actually restore a customer's systems to a working state within the agreed timeframe. The difference between "backup succeeded" and "recovery is proven" is the gap this guide addresses.
Why backup success does not equal recovery success
A successful backup job confirms that data was copied. It does not confirm that:
- The backup can be restored to a bootable, functional system
- The restore completes within the defined recovery time objective
- Application dependencies and configurations survive the restore
- The data is consistent and uncorrupted at the chosen recovery point
- The process works under pressure with real people following it
A practical testing framework
- Define what to test — start with mission-critical workloads: the systems where downtime or data loss has the highest business impact.
- Choose the recovery point — restore from a specific point in time, not just the latest backup. This validates that the retention policy provides usable restore points.
- Restore to an isolated environment — non-disruptive testing means the restore runs in isolation, so production is unaffected.
- Validate the restored workload — does it boot? Do applications start? Can users log in? Does it respond to expected requests?
- Record the outcome — time to restore, issues encountered, pass/fail against defined RTO and RPO, and recommendations.
- Share the evidence — provide the report to the customer, their auditors, insurers or board as proof of recoverability.
Who benefits from recovery evidence?
Recovery test evidence serves multiple stakeholders:
- The MSP — demonstrating service value beyond ticket response
- The customer — knowing their systems can be restored, not just backed up
- Auditors and regulators — showing that controls are tested, not just documented
- Cyber insurers — providing evidence of recovery readiness as part of underwriting
- Boards and executives — quantifying resilience in terms they can act on
How Soteria Cloud supports recovery testing
Through Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud, Soteria Cloud provides non-disruptive recovery testing for backup and disaster recovery workloads. Tests restore workloads to an isolated environment, validate that they function correctly, and generate reports — all without affecting production. This is available to MSPs and resellers using the Soteria Cloud platform.
Frequently asked questions
What is a recovery test?
A non-disruptive test that restores backup data to an isolated environment, validates that the restored system boots and responds correctly, and generates evidence — without affecting production.
How often should recovery be tested?
That depends on the workload's criticality and how frequently its configuration changes. Mission-critical systems with tight RTO/RPO targets should be tested more frequently than low-impact workloads. A common starting cadence is quarterly for critical systems and semi-annually for the rest.
What evidence should a recovery test produce?
A useful recovery test report includes: the workload tested, the recovery point restored from, time to restore, whether the system booted and responded correctly, any issues encountered, and a pass/fail outcome against the defined recovery objectives.
Prove recoverability before an incident proves it for you
Talk to Soteria Cloud about recovery testing for your MSP practice or business.