Bonus E1 – Brian Williams with Rubrik: Unveiling the Power of Immutable Backup Solutions and Essential Practices

Off the Wire: A Play by Play on Cybersecurity and Technology Issues

## Off The Wire Podcast Show Notes

### Episode: Backups and Data Recovery with Brian Williams from Rubrik

**Guest:** Brian Williams, Rubrik

**Location:** NCLGISA Conference 2024, Downtown Wilmington

### Key Topics Discussed

#### Importance of Backups
- **Personal Anecdote:** Anthony shares advice from his mentor on the importance of backups.
- **Monthly Backup Reviews:** Ensuring regular checks and recovery plans.

#### Transition to Rubrik
- **Migration Experience:** Anthony discusses his positive experience migrating to Rubrik.
- **Onboarding Process:** Highlights the comprehensive onboarding and quarterly meetings Rubrik provides.

#### Role of Backup Engineers
- **Critical Role:** Brian emphasizes the evolving and crucial role of backup engineers.
- **Backups Beyond Cybersecurity:** Discussion on various scenarios where backups are vital.

#### Tape Backups and Air Gapping
- **Nostalgia:** Reminiscing about tape backups.
- **Air Gapping:** Importance of air-gapped backups for data security.

#### Modern Backup Strategies
- **Three-Two-One Method:** Explanation of three copies, two types of media, one off-site.
- **Four-Three-Two Method:** Discussion on more extensive backup strategies.

#### Cloud-Based Backups
- **Pros and Cons:** Evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of cloud-only backups.
- **Internet Dependency:** Challenges with relying solely on internet connections for backup and recovery.

#### Immutability and Data Security
- **Defining Immutability:** Data that cannot be edited or changed.
- **Zero Trust for Backups:** Ensuring no unauthorized access or changes to backup data.

#### Data Integrity and Reliability
- **Testing Restorations:** Regularly testing backup data for integrity and reliability.
- **Fingerprints and Checksums:** Using these methods to ensure data consistency.

#### Regional Backup Strategies
- **Geographic Distribution:** Replicating data to different locations to ensure regional disaster recovery.

#### Real-World Examples
- **Local Government Incidents:** Discussing the impact of ransomware on local governments and the importance of having robust backups.

### Quarterly Checkups with Rubrik
- **Relationship Building:** Importance of maintaining a strong relationship between Rubrik and its clients.
- **Health Checks:** Regular assessments of the backup system’s health and client needs.

### Recommendations for All Organizations
- **Robust Testing:** Developing a rigorous and regular testing schedule for backups.
- **Self-Scouting:** Continuously evaluating and improving backup strategies.
- **Courage to Address Gaps:** Identifying and addressing potential security gaps proactively.

### Conclusion
- **Final Thoughts:** Emphasis on the importance of backups and continuous improvement.
- **Next Steps:** Encouraging organizations to adopt best practices for data security and backup integrity.

### Call to Action
- **Subscribe to the Podcast:** Encouragement to subscribe to Off The Wire on all major podcast platforms.
- **Share the Podcast:** Request to share the podcast with others who might benefit from the content.

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For more information on Rubrik and their backup solutions, visit [Rubrik's website](https://www.rubrik.com).

Stay tuned for more episodes and insightful discussions on Off The Wire!