We run a small business network with a few Windows servers and Backup Exec + an LTO4 tape library to back them all up. We use a yearly, monthly, weekly rota, with tapes going off-site. I should also mention that we use LTO barcodes.
My question is really this - What paperwork/spreadsheets/databases/etc do you use around a backup rota to achieve goals such as the following:
a) Ensure there is a written record of accountability showing that engineers have checked backup logs to ensure jobs are completing successfully, the tape is in good condition, etc (aside from anything else, this seems to be a good way to encourage the process to be followed if people must sign their name to say they've done it).
b) Ability to track where all tapes are currently stored (Backup Exec helps with this, but a separate record seems sensible). Would also be good if this record was somehow stored off-site so that it is accessible in the event of a disaster such as an office fire.
c) In a disaster recovery situation, there isn't just tapes stored off-site, but a written record explaining exactly what job the tapes correspond to, with a record showing the job completed successfully, etc.
d) Anything else that's important
In short, an audit trail. An audit trail that is designed is such a way that it is resilient to disaster situations such as office fires.
Do people tend to roll their own solution, or are there off-the-shelf solutions? Do you tend to keep it all paper based, or do you have some electronic method? Do you keep any paperwork with the off-site tapes?
I should say that we already have a basic system in place, but I'm interested to see what makes up a good audit trail system, in the hope I can improve ours.
Many thanks!