What are the most effective GIS data backup and recovery strategies for geological projects?

1 Backup frequency and schedule

One of the first decisions you need to make is how often and when to backup your GIS data. This depends on several factors, such as the size, complexity, and importance of your data, the frequency and type of changes you make, the available storage space and bandwidth, and the potential impact of data loss or corruption. A general rule of thumb is to backup your data as often as possible, but without compromising your performance or productivity. You can also use different backup methods for different types of data, such as full, incremental, or differential backups, and schedule them accordingly. For example, you can perform a full backup of your entire GIS database once a week, and then do incremental backups of the changes every day or every hour.

2 Backup location and format

Another important aspect of GIS data backup is where and how to store your backup files. You should always have at least two copies of your backup data, and keep them in separate locations. This way, you can reduce the risk of losing both copies in case of a single disaster or incident. You can use various backup locations, such as external hard drives, network servers, cloud storage services, or removable media. However, you should also consider the security, accessibility, and compatibility of each location, and encrypt your backup files if necessary. Moreover, you should choose a backup format that preserves the structure, metadata, and quality of your GIS data, and allows you to restore it easily and quickly. Some common backup formats for GIS data are geodatabases, shapefiles, file geodatabases, or XML documents.

3 Recovery plan and testing

Having a backup of your GIS data is not enough if you cannot restore it when you need it. Therefore, you should also have a recovery plan that outlines the steps and procedures for restoring your GIS data in case of an emergency or disaster. Your recovery plan should include the following elements: the roles and responsibilities of the staff involved, the backup sources and locations, the recovery tools and methods, the priority and order of the data to be restored, the expected recovery time and performance, and the communication and documentation channels. Furthermore, you should test your recovery plan regularly to ensure that it works as intended, and update it as needed to reflect any changes in your GIS data or system.

4 Backup and recovery tools

To backup and restore your GIS data effectively, you need to use appropriate tools that suit your needs and preferences. There are many tools available for GIS data backup and recovery, ranging from simple to complex, and from free to paid. ArcGIS Data Backup and Recovery is a toolset that comes with ArcGIS Desktop, the most common GIS software for geological projects. It allows users to backup and restore their GIS data in various formats, such as geodatabases, shapefiles, file geodatabases, or XML documents. Additionally, there is the QGIS Backup Plugin which works with QGIS and enables users to backup and restore their GIS data in SQLite or PostgreSQL databases. Lastly, GDAL/OGR is a library of command-line utilities that can handle various spatial data formats, including GIS data. It can be used to backup and restore GIS data in different formats while also allowing users to perform various operations on their GIS data.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?