Invisible wrote:
> 
> For anyone who's interested...
> 
> 1. They want to keep backup tapes (even differentials) forever. (No 
> regulations require this.)
> 

Ask why they want to do this.  You were not in the meeting where they 
decided to do this.  They should be happy to tell you.

> 2. They want to allow the vagaries of the Gregorian calendar and its 
> lack of synchronisation with the 7-day week affect when our backups do 
> and don't happen.

Ask why?

> 
> 3. They want to keep the weeks' tapes in the server room until the end 
> of the week.
> 

Provide your observations about the potential risks to this choice, and 
the benefits of alternatives.

> 4. They want to verify that tape restoration works by restoring a 
> standardised, unchanging 0.09 KB file and performing a visual inspection 
> to check that it "looks the same". (In fairness, if the backup software 
> says it's restored, you can be 99% sure it's fine. Usually if there's a 
> problem the software will complain that it "can't" restore the file, 
> rather than restore gibberish. But even so...)
> 

Be nice, and give constructive feedback.


> 5. The order in which tapes are run is not clearly described. In fact, 
> the relevant section is utterly incomprehensible. Surely *they* know 
> what they meant - but *I* haven't got a clue!
> 

Ask for clarification.


> 6. Similarly, there's a new form to fill out - but I don't understand 
> why, what does on it, or when it's meant to be done.
> 

Ask and you shall receive.

> 7. The procedure talks about "software backups". As most of you won't 
> know, the regulations make a distinction between "backups" and "archive 
> copies", and this document is confablating the two. The result is a most 
> inappropriate procedure, which is outside the scope of the document anyway.
> 

Point out the confusion and ask for clarification.

> 8. Did I mention yet that THIS PLAN IS CRAZY?!
> 

Yes but you fail to explain why it is crazy.

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