Database and Backup Recovery
It is imperative to have a backup of the database in case the original is corrupted or lost because of any reason. Using this backup, the database can be recovered as it was before the failure.
Database backup basically means that a duplicate of the database information and data is created and stored in backup server just to be on the safe side. Transaction logs are also stored in the backup along with the database data because without them, the data would be useless.
Reasons of Failure in a Database
There can be multiple reasons of failure in a database because of which a database backup and recovery plan is required. Some of these reasons are:
User Error - Normally, user error is the biggest reason of data destruction or corruption in a database. To rectify the error, the database needs to be restored to the point in time before the error occured.
Hardware Failure - This can also lead to loss of data in a database. The database is stored on multiple hard drives across various locations. These hard drives may sometimes malfunction leading to database corruption. So, it is important to periodically change them.
Catastrophic Event - A catastrophic event can be a natural calamity like a flood or earthquake or deliberate sabotage such as hacking of the database. Either way, the database data may be corrupted and backup may be required.
