Encrypt managed backup data
Backups for DC Core-managed services are protected in transit and at rest, with access restricted to authorised systems and personnel.
- Strong encryption controls
- Restricted backup access
BACKUP & DISASTER RECOVERY SERVICES
Recovery designed around your workload.
Protect DC Core-managed infrastructure with encrypted backups, UK/EU recovery locations and periodically tested restore processes. Then define the retention, recovery point and recovery time that the actual service requires.
Recovery targets are confirmed per service and customer agreement.
RECOVERABILITY, NOT JUST COPIES
A backup has value when the recovery plan is understood.
DC Core combines backup, replication and infrastructure recovery controls for systems under our management. The appropriate design depends on what can fail, how much data loss is tolerable and how quickly the workload must return.
Use a second recovery location
Where DC Core provides disaster recovery, the standard design uses London as primary with recovery capacity in France, keeping managed copies within UK/EU locations.
- Geographic resilience
- Managed UK/EU design
Test the restore process
Periodic checks validate that managed backups are available and the restoration procedure remains usable, including review after significant infrastructure or platform changes.
- Backup availability verification
- Restoration-process checks
THE RECOVERY LAYERS
Different controls solve different failure modes.
High availability, replication, backup and disaster recovery are related, but they are not interchangeable. A suitable design uses the right combination for the workload.
Discuss a workload →- 01
Service resilience
Multi-node platform services, relay pools, process supervision and automated recovery can reduce disruption from an individual component failure where supported.
- 02
Replication
Relevant platform data and service state can be replicated to reduce single-node dependency and support continuity or restoration.
- 03
Encrypted backup
Regular backup copies provide a recovery point for corruption, deletion, failed change or infrastructure-level issues affecting managed systems.
- 04
Disaster recovery
A recovery location, documented procedure and agreed objectives provide a path back from a wider service or infrastructure disruption.
RPO, RTO & RETENTION
Set targets from business impact—not guesswork.
Default controls provide a starting point. Specific recovery commitments need to reflect the data, dependency chain and commercial impact of each workload.
| Decision | What it answers | How DC Core treats it |
|---|---|---|
| Backup frequency | How often a recoverable copy is created. | Daily is the standard cycle for platform-managed systems; the schedule can vary with service and agreement. |
| Retention | How long recovery points remain available. | Defined per service and customer agreement, with longer contractual or regulatory retention available where agreed. |
| RPO | The target maximum period of data loss measured backwards from an incident. | Service-specific and shaped by the backup or replication method and nature of the workload. |
| RTO | The target time to restore an affected service after disruption. | Depends on the incident, recovery method, affected components and any dedicated standby design. |
| Recovery evidence | How the team knows the process remains usable. | Periodic managed restore checks; formal customer-specific evidence can be provided where available or agreed. |
COMMITMENTSUnless customer-specific recovery objectives, dedicated standby infrastructure or another disaster recovery arrangement has been contractually agreed, restoration is performed using commercially reasonable endeavours.
RECOVERY PLANNING
Design from impact, then prove the path.
The work begins by deciding what must be recovered and what dependencies come with it. A database restore is not a complete plan if identity, networking or application configuration is missing.
- 01 / PRIORITISE
Classify workloads
Identify critical services, data owners, dependencies, acceptable data loss and business recovery order.
- 02 / DESIGN
Select the controls
Choose backup frequency, retention, encryption, replication and recovery location appropriate to the workload.
- 03 / DOCUMENT
Agree the objectives
Record responsibilities, recovery sequence, communications and any contractually committed RPO or RTO.
- 04 / TEST
Validate recovery
Check managed backup availability and restoration procedures, then review the design after material changes.
RECOVERY LOCATION
UK/EU recovery by design for managed services.
The standard managed environment keeps primary tenancy data in London and recovery capacity in France. Workloads outside DC Core infrastructure follow the customer’s chosen provider and configuration.
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
Confirm exactly what the backup contains.
DC Core protects the managed infrastructure and platform services included in the agreement. Customer application data or systems outside that boundary need their own confirmed protection.
| Area | DC Core | Customer |
|---|---|---|
| Managed platform | Backup, replication and recovery processes for DC Core-managed infrastructure and platform services. | Identify business-critical dependencies and confirm the recovery order required by the organisation. |
| Application data | Protection only where the workload data is hosted, transmitted, backed up or otherwise managed within the agreed DC Core service. | Data classification, lawful basis, lifecycle and backup needs for customer-controlled applications and data. |
| Retention | Operate the retention schedule defined for the managed service. | Specify contractual, regulatory or business retention requirements and approve the selected schedule. |
| Recovery target | Design and operate to the service-specific recovery arrangement that has been agreed. | Define acceptable business impact and validate whether the proposed RPO and RTO meet the need. |
| Out-of-scope systems | Provide assurance only for backup and recovery components DC Core directly operates. | Confirm protection for customer-owned or third-party infrastructure not managed by DC Core. |
WHEN TO REVIEW RECOVERY
The right time is before a restore is urgent.
A recovery review is especially useful when the environment, business tolerance or responsibility boundary has changed.
Before a migration
Make backup, retention and rollback requirements part of the target architecture rather than an afterthought.
- Dependency mapping
- Migration recovery points
After material change
Revalidate restore procedures after significant platform, infrastructure or application changes alter the recovery path.
- Process review
- Updated operating evidence
During supplier assurance
State where managed copies reside, how they are protected and which recovery objectives are contractual.
- Clear scope statements
- Customer-specific evidence where agreed
When ownership is unclear
Separate platform recovery from customer application backup so no critical layer is assumed to be covered.
- Responsibility mapping
- Workload-level requirements
COMMON QUESTIONS
Backup and disaster recovery FAQs.
Recovery is workload-specific. We can translate your business tolerance into a technically realistic service design.
How often does DC Core back up managed systems?
DC Core-managed systems use a standard daily backup cycle. Frequency can vary by service type, workload requirements and customer agreement, so the selected schedule is confirmed during service design.
Where are disaster recovery copies kept?
Where DC Core provides disaster recovery, backup and recovery copies are maintained in UK/EU hosting locations. The standard design uses London as the primary environment with disaster recovery capacity in France.
What RPO and RTO does DC Core provide?
Recovery Point Objectives and Recovery Time Objectives are service-specific. They depend on backup or replication method, incident type and workload design. Specific commitments and dedicated standby infrastructure must be contractually agreed.
Does DC Core test restores?
Backup and restore processes are tested periodically for managed services. Testing includes verification of backup availability, restoration-process checks and operational review following significant changes.
Are customer application backups automatically included?
No. Customer workload backup depends on what DC Core is contracted to host or manage. Customer-owned application data, databases and systems outside the managed boundary remain the customer’s responsibility unless the agreement explicitly includes them.
CONNECTED SERVICES
Protect the platform around the recovery plan.
BUYER GUIDETesting whether recovery can survive a wider compromise? Read the guide to isolated cloud recovery paths.
START WITH ONE CRITICAL WORKLOAD
Know what recovery really requires.
Share the workload, current backup position and business tolerance. We’ll map the responsibility boundary and a suitable recovery design.