Which of the following should be prioritized when testing a backup strategy?

When testing a backup strategy, the data restoration process should indeed be prioritized. The primary purpose of having a backup system in place is to ensure that you can restore data effectively and quickly in case of data loss, corruption, or disaster. A backup solution is only as good as its ability to retrieve data when it’s needed.

Focusing on the restoration process means evaluating how easily and reliably data can be restored from backups. This involves testing various scenarios, such as restoring complete systems, individual files, or specific versions of documents. Effective testing ensures that the backup processes align with the organization’s Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) requirements, which dictate how quickly data must be restored and how much data can afford to be lost.

Considering other aspects such as the cost of the backup solution, hardware compatibility, or user interface design are also important in implementing a comprehensive backup strategy. However, they become secondary to the core functionality of ensuring data can be quickly and accurately restored when required. Without a well-tested restoration process, even the most cost-effective, compatible, or user-friendly solution is inadequate. Prioritizing the restoration capability ensures that the organization can maintain continuity in business operations during unforeseen events involving data loss.