vm-ops/00-doctrine/backup-doctrine.md

Backup Doctrine

Principles

• Backups exist for calm recovery, not comfort.
• Encrypt backups before they leave the system.
• A backup that cannot be safely lost is incorrectly scoped.
• Restores are verified: a backup without a restore test is a hope, not a backup.

In-repo boundaries

• What is backed up, where it is stored, and how it is restored is recorded in 60-backups/manifests/.
• Proof that restores work (restore drills, checksums, validation notes) lives in 60-backups/restore-tests/.

Minimum standard

For each backup set, record:

• Source (what)
• Destination (where)
• Method (how)
• Frequency (when)
• Restore procedure (how to get it back)
• Validation (how you know it worked)