Properly archiving backups helps you ensure database integrity. Follow these guidelines when archiving backups:
Clearly label each backup volume. Information on the label should include:
The type of backup (incremental or full, online, or offline)
The date and time of the backup
The full pathname of the database
The volume number and total number of volumes of the media (volume 1 of 4, for example)
The initials of the person who performed the backup
The exact command used to back up the database
Keep a minimum of 10 generations of full backups. Keep daily backups for at least two weeks, weekly backups for at least two months, and monthly backups for a year. Buying extra tapes is much less expensive than manually reconstructing lost databases.
Keep backups in an area other than where the computer is located, preferably in another building. In the event of building damage, you are less likely to lose both the online and backup versions of the database.
Clearly label each backup volume. Information on the label should include: