本文转自备份行业御三家之一 veritas：What Is a Recovery Point Objective, and Why Should You Care?
In business, people use certain terms with little thought. One such term is Recovery Point Objective or RPO. As with most business terms, it can be confusing to understand what it means and how it applies to you.
在商业中，人们很少考虑地使用某些术语。其中一个术语是恢复点目标或 RPO。与大多数商业术语一样，理解它的含义以及它如何适用于您可能会令人困惑。
If you're running a business, it's important to ensure that your data is safe and secure. One way to do this is by implementing a Recovery Point Objective.
如果您正在经营一家企业，请务必确保您的数据安全无虞。执行此操作的一种方法是实施恢复点目标。
Simply put, an RPO is a predetermined amount of time you must restore data from an IT system during a Disaster Recovery event. It sets the maximum acceptable period of data loss.
简而言之，RPO 是在灾难恢复事件期间必须从 IT 系统恢复数据的预定时间。它设置了可接受的最大数据丢失期限。
In this article, you will learn about Recovery Point Objectives in-depth and why they are so crucial for businesses. You'll also find tips on creating an RPO that meets your company's needs.
在本文中，您将深入了解恢复点目标以及它们为何对企业如此重要。您还可以找到有关创建满足公司需求的 RPO 的提示。
What Is a Recovery Point Objective?什么是恢复点目标？
A Recovery Point Objective measures how much data in an IT system can be lost due to a disaster before it affects the business. It is usually measured in hours or days and determines the maximum time you are willing to accept between data backups.
恢复点目标衡量的是，在灾难影响业务之前，IT 系统中可能因灾难而丢失的数据量。它通常以小时或天为单位，确定您愿意接受的数据备份之间的最长时间。
An RPO sets the bar for how far back in time the data can be restored and is closely linked to the business's Disaster Recovery plan. It is a critical part of an organization's overall backup strategy since it defines how much data you can lose without impacting operations.
RPO 为数据可以恢复到多长时间设定了标准，并与企业的灾难恢复计划密切相关。它是组织整体备份策略的关键部分，因为它定义了在不影响运营的情况下可以丢失的数据量。
In other words, if your system were to fail and you needed to restore it from a backup, an RPO would define how much data you are willing to lose in the event of a disaster. It is essential to understand that this depends on the activity taking place in your business.
换句话说，如果您的系统出现故障，并且您需要从备份中恢复它，RPO 将定义在发生灾难时您愿意丢失多少数据。必须明白，这取决于您的业务中发生的活动。
For example, if you're running a banking system where transactions are continuously taking place, 24 hours would not be suitable since changes will have occurred in that period.
例如，如果您正在运行一个交易持续发生的银行系统，那么 24 小时是不合适的，因为在此期间会发生变化。
On the other hand, if you're running a retail store where mostly static information is stored, then an RPO of 24 hours would be more suitable since only a small amount of data will have been changed in that period.
另一方面，如果您经营的零售店存储了大部分静态信息，那么 24 小时的 RPO 将更合适，因为在此期间只会更改少量数据。
How Does a Recovery Point Objective Work?恢复点目标如何工作？
RPOs help businesses determine how often they need to back up their data and how much data they are willing to lose in the event of a system failure. It is important to note that an RPO does not guarantee that you will restore the data to the exact time before the disaster.
RPO 可帮助企业确定他们需要多久备份一次数据，以及在系统故障时他们愿意丢失多少数据。需要注意的是，RPO 并不能保证您将数据恢复到灾难发生前的确切时间。
However, by determining appropriate timelines for recovering data, businesses can ensure that they have a concrete plan to restore their data as quickly and efficiently as possible. This helps prevent unnecessary disruptions to operations due to lost or damaged data.
但是，通过确定适当的数据恢复时间表，企业可以确保他们有一个具体的计划，以尽可能快速有效地恢复数据。这有助于防止由于数据丢失或损坏而导致的不必要的运营中断。
Factors to consider when determining how much data you can lose:
在确定可能丢失的数据量时要考虑的因素：
Adherence to relevant storage regulations and guidelines, such as in the financial and healthcare sectors
遵守相关的存储法规和准则，例如金融和医疗保健领域的存储法规和准则
Your maximum tolerance to data loss and its operational impact
您对数据丢失及其运营影响的最大容忍度
Compliance requirements like data availability and access and disaster prevention
合规性要求，如数据可用性和访问以及灾难预防
Data recovery speeds and the time it takes to restore data
数据恢复速度和恢复数据所需的时间
Costs associated with data backup and storage
与数据备份和存储相关的成本
The rate of change in the data you're backing up
要备份的数据的变化率
What Does RPO Determine? RPO 确定什么？
A Recovery Point Objective is a critical metric that helps companies understand their tolerance for loss. In its simplest form, it will aid you in determining how regularly you must back up your entire system to guarantee business continuity.
恢复点目标是一个关键指标，可帮助公司了解其对损失的容忍度。在最简单的形式中，它将帮助您确定必须多久备份一次整个系统以保证业务连续性。
With this metric, one can identify the following:
使用此指标，可以确定以下内容：
The least frequent backup schedule
最不频繁的备份计划
How much data you can acceptably lose if a catastrophe significantly damages the company
如果灾难对公司造成重大损害，您可以接受地丢失多少数据
How far back must IT go to implement recovery methods without sacrificing its expected RTO against data loss?
IT 部门必须向多长时间才能实施恢复方法，同时又不牺牲其预期的 RTO 来防止数据丢失？
RPOs Vs. RTOs RPO 与 RTO
When dealing with RPOs, something that must come up is Recovery Time Objective. While these two are often interchanged and confused, it’s important to note that the two have distinct purposes.
在处理 RPO 时，必须出现的是恢复时间目标。虽然这两者经常互换和混淆，但重要的是要注意两者有不同的目的。
While the former sets the maximum acceptable period of data loss, RTOs defines how quickly a business needs to recover from a Disaster Recovery event.
前者设置了可接受的数据丢失的最长可接受期限，而 RTO定义了业务需要从灾难恢复事件中恢复的速度。
For example, if an organization were to experience a disaster, an RPO would determine how much data the organization can accept to be lost, and an RTO would set a timeline for when the system needs to be fully functional again.
例如，如果一个组织遭遇灾难，RPO 将确定组织可以接受多少数据丢失，而 RTO 将设定一个时间表，说明系统何时需要再次完全运行。
How to Calculate Recovery Point Objectives如何计算恢复点目标
To determine Recovery Point Objectives for your company, try utilizing the following five steps:
若要确定公司的恢复点目标，请尝试利用以下五个步骤：
1. Determine How Often Files Update确定文件更新的频率
The purpose of effective and efficient data recovery is to ensure that your business can swiftly access and use the most up-to-date information after an outage. This means that you need to determine how often files are updated.
有效且高效的数据恢复的目的是确保您的企业能够在中断后迅速访问和使用最新信息。这意味着您需要确定文件的更新频率。
For instance, if your company’s accounting system updates every hour, then you will need to back up at least once in that same period.
例如，如果贵公司的会计系统每小时更新一次，那么您需要在同一时期内至少备份一次。
2. Review Your Business Continuity Plan审查您的业务连续性计划
A business continuity plan is essential when determining the RPO for your business. It outlines the steps needed to restore lost data, keep operations running, and return the system to its normal state.
在确定业务的 RPO 时，业务连续性计划至关重要。它概述了恢复丢失的数据、保持操作运行以及将系统恢复到正常状态所需的步骤。
Your business continuity plan should contain all the information necessary for data recovery. This includes both the RPO and RTO, as well as other technical information such as system components and backup schedules.
您的业务连续性计划应包含数据恢复所需的所有信息。这包括 RPO 和 RTO，以及其他技术信息，如系统组件和备份计划。
It is also essential to review this document regularly as it will help you understand what sort of data loss could occur during outages and how long it would take to restore.
定期查看本文档也很重要，因为它将帮助您了解在中断期间可能会发生什么样的数据丢失以及恢复需要多长时间。
3. Take Industry Standards into Account考虑行业标准
While the two organizations may seem similar, they'll need unique RPOs addressing their specific needs. However, it does not mean you need to start from scratch. The industry standards are a good reference point for determining what’s ideal for your company.
虽然这两个组织可能看起来很相似，但他们需要独特的 RPO 来满足他们的特定需求。但是，这并不意味着您需要从头开始。行业标准是确定贵公司理想的标准的绝佳参考点。
In this regard, there are four common RPO intervals:
在这方面，有四种常见的 RPO 间隔：
Zero to an hour- This is ideal for business systems that need to be up and running immediately after an incident, as it takes the shortest time. It's applicable in healthcare, finance, and stock market trading sectors.
零到一小时- 这对于需要在事件发生后立即启动并运行的业务系统来说是理想的选择，因为它需要最短的时间。它适用于医疗保健、金融和股票市场交易领域。
One hour to four hours- This interval is ideal for semi-critical business systems. Organizations use it in cases where minor data loss is acceptable.
一小时到四小时 - 此间隔非常适合半关键业务系统。组织在轻微数据丢失是可以接受的情况下使用它。
Four hours to 12 hours- This interval is used for business elements that, if affected, do not significantly impact the company. They include sales, marketing, advertising, and operational statistics.
4 小时到 12 小时 - 此间隔用于如果受到影响，不会对公司产生重大影响的业务元素。它们包括销售、营销、广告和运营统计。
13 to 24 hours- This is the best option for non-critical business systems that are not used regularly and can be available up to 24 hours after an incident. These include marketing campaigns, customer feedback surveys, and others.
13 到 24 小时 - 对于不经常使用的非关键业务系统，这是最佳选择，并且可以在事件发生后 24 小时内可用。这些包括营销活动、客户反馈调查等。
4. Establish and Approve 建立和批准
After determining the RPO for each system, it's important to have someone with authority review and approve the plan. This will help ensure they’re reasonable and pertinent to the company.
确定每个系统的 RPO 后，让具有权限的人审查和批准计划非常重要。这将有助于确保它们是合理的并且与公司相关。
You should also document the process and monitor any changes or updates. This will help maintain the integrity and accuracy of your data recovery plan.
您还应该记录该过程并监视任何更改或更新。这将有助于保持数据恢复计划的完整性和准确性。
5. Consistently monitor your RPO settings for optimal results持续监控您的 RPO 设置以获得最佳结果
Your company's needs will evolve as it grows. Therefore, you should review and adjust the objectives regularly to ensure they still reflect the organization's current needs.
贵公司的需求将随着公司的发展而变化。因此，您应该定期审查和调整目标，以确保它们仍然反映组织当前的需求。
By monitoring this metric regularly, you can ensure that your data recovery plan is up-to-date and all the systems are adequately protected from any potential data loss or disruption.
通过定期监控此指标，您可以确保您的数据恢复计划是最新的，并且所有系统都得到充分保护，免受任何潜在的数据丢失或中断。
Benefits of Having an RPO in Place制定 RPO 的好处
As you may have noticed, it is challenging to determine and adhere to the appropriate RPOs. However, doing so will be very rewarding for your company. Some of the benefits you'll enjoy include:
您可能已经注意到，确定并遵守适当的 RPO 是一项挑战。但是，这样做对您的公司来说将是非常有益的。您将享受的一些好处包括：
Prevents Financial Loss 防止经济损失
Depending on your sector and the nature of your business, critical operations may rely on data. Therefore, for every second your data is inaccessible, the business risks losing money through:
根据您所在的行业和业务性质，关键运营可能依赖于数据。因此，对于无法访问的数据的每一秒，企业都可能通过以下方式亏损：
Productivity- While the systems are down, your personnel cannot discharge their responsibilities efficiently, thus impacting productivity and revenues.
生产力- 当系统出现故障时，您的员工无法有效地履行职责，从而影响生产力和收入。
Lost customers- Any downtime will lead to lost customers and negatively impact your business reputation.
失去客户 - 任何停机时间都会导致客户流失，并对您的商业声誉产生负面影响。
Legal liabilities- Depending on the nature of your data, a loss may expose you to legal liabilities due to the breach of data protection regulations.
法律责任 - 根据您的数据性质，丢失可能会因违反数据保护法规而使您承担法律责任。
With appropriate objectives and effective data recovery procedures, you can significantly reduce or even prevent financial losses due to outages.
通过适当的目标和有效的数据恢复程序，您可以显著减少甚至防止因中断而造成的财务损失。
Protects Data Integrity 保护数据完整性
Having an RPO in place will help you protect the integrity of your data. This is especially beneficial for companies with regulatory compliance requirements, such as healthcare and financial institutions.
制定 RPO 将帮助您保护数据的完整性。这对于有监管合规要求的公司尤其有利，例如医疗保健和金融机构。
Additionally, it guarantees data continuity as your IT personnel can quickly and effectively recover the systems, ensuring minimal disruption or data loss.
此外，它还保证了数据的连续性，因为您的 IT 人员可以快速有效地恢复系统，从而确保最小的中断或数据丢失。
Ensures Business Continuity确保业务连续性
Data loss comes with significant ramifications for organizations. For some, severe data loss can mean the end of their operations, while for others, it can mean a significant reduction in efficiency and productivity.
数据丢失会给组织带来重大后果。对于一些人来说，严重的数据丢失可能意味着他们的运营结束，而对于另一些人来说，这可能意味着效率和生产力的显着降低。
Having an RPO in place will help ensure that your data is adequately protected and quickly recovered should any incidents arise. This way, you can continue operating smoothly with minimal downtime or disruptions.
制定 RPO 将有助于确保您的数据得到充分保护，并在发生任何事件时快速恢复。这样，您就可以继续平稳运行，同时将停机时间或中断降至最低。
Failover and Recovery Point Objectives故障转移和恢复点目标
Failover allows for quick and seamless transitioning between your primary and backup systems when a primary system is unavailable due to an unforeseen event or scheduled maintenance.
当主系统由于不可预见的事件或计划维护而不可用时，故障切换允许在主系统和备份系统之间快速无缝地过渡。
Your settings should align with your systems' failover capabilities. This will ensure that you don't experience any data loss or disruption during the transition.
您的设置应与系统的故障转移功能保持一致。这将确保您在过渡期间不会遇到任何数据丢失或中断。
When choosing a failover solution, consider your RPOs to avoid losing excessive data when transitioning to the backup server. For example, if you have set a ten-minute timeframe, your system must respond within this time frame to avoid losing more than 10 minutes worth of information.
在选择故障转移解决方案时，请考虑您的 RPO，以避免在过渡到备份服务器时丢失过多数据。例如，如果您设置了 10 分钟的时间范围，则您的系统必须在此时间范围内做出响应，以避免丢失超过 10 分钟的信息。
Some of the failover solutions available include:
一些可用的故障转移解决方案包括：
Hardware solutions- Involve keeping physical appliances on-site to ensure that traffic is rerouted swiftly to a backup server in the event of failure. With this solution, latency issues are avoided, yet hosting your backup site in close proximity exposes it significantly to risks such as power grid blackouts or natural disasters, making it an impractical practice for many companies.
硬件解决方案 - 涉及将物理设备保持在现场，以确保在发生故障时将流量迅速重新路由到备份服务器。使用此解决方案，可以避免延迟问题，但是在附近托管备份站点会使其面临电网停电或自然灾害等风险，这对许多公司来说是一种不切实际的做法。
DNS services- Involve configuring your Domain Name System (DNS) to direct traffic away from a primary server to an active backup site when the need arises.
DNS 服务 - 涉及配置域名系统 （DNS），以便在需要时将流量从主服务器引导到活动备份站点。
Cloud replication- Involves replicating data offsite in cloud storage and provides safety against physical issues such as fire or theft.
云复制 - 涉及在云存储中异地复制数据，并提供针对火灾或盗窃等物理问题的安全性。
On-edge services- These involve configuring the application to be able to detect system outages and switch over to a backup server automatically.
边缘服务 - 这些涉及配置应用程序，以便能够检测系统中断并自动切换到备份服务器。
Top Recovery Point Objective Trends主要恢复点目标趋势
One of the most effective ways of ensuring your business is secure and remains competitive is by keeping up with the latest technologies.
确保您的业务安全并保持竞争力的最有效方法之一是跟上最新技术的步伐。
Some of the notable trends include:
一些值得注意的趋势包括：
Stringent Timelines 严格的时间表
Speed of recovery has always been a top priority, leading organizations to prioritize RTO over the lesser-known metric, RPO. However, with increased awareness and understanding of Recovery Point Objectives, companies are now shifting their focus onto this component, demanding much tighter and quicker restoration times.
恢复速度始终是重中之重，这导致组织优先考虑 RTO，而不是鲜为人知的指标 RPO。然而，随着对恢复点目标的认识和理解的提高，公司现在正在将重点转移到此组件上，要求更紧凑、更快速的恢复时间。
More Regular Backups 更多定期备份
Organizations are now opting for more regular backups to protect their data. This helps reduce the number of data loss incidents and increases the chances of a successful recovery.
组织现在选择更定期的备份来保护他们的数据。这有助于减少数据丢失事件的数量，并增加成功恢复的机会。
Virtualization 虚拟化
Cloud-based virtualized solutions are becoming increasingly popular as they allow businesses to replicate their data in multiple locations, providing an added layer of security and reliability. With this approach, companies have more control over their data, ensuring that no matter what happens, you can recover the data quickly and cost-effectively.
基于云的虚拟化解决方案正变得越来越流行，因为它们允许企业在多个位置复制其数据，从而提供额外的安全性和可靠性层。通过这种方法，公司可以更好地控制其数据，确保无论发生什么情况，您都可以快速且经济高效地恢复数据。
Increased Focus on Data Protection and Recovery
更加关注数据保护和恢复
While it may seem like backups insulate your business from data loss, that's not necessarily true. Furthermore, when issues occur, you want to resume operations swiftly. For this reason, there has been a focus on data protection and recovery solutions to help ensure that businesses are protected from potential threats.
虽然备份似乎可以使您的业务免受数据丢失的影响，但事实并非如此。此外，当出现问题时，您希望迅速恢复操作。出于这个原因，人们一直专注于数据保护和恢复解决方案，以帮助确保企业免受潜在威胁。
Hybrid Services 混合服务
Organizations are now taking a hybrid approach to their RPOs, combining the benefits of both on-premise and cloud-based services. This approach can reduce the recovery cost while still providing the same security and reliability.
组织现在正在采用混合方法实现其 RPO，将本地和基于云的服务的优势相结合。这种方法可以降低恢复成本，同时仍提供相同的安全性和可靠性。
Multi-Site RPOs 多站点 RPO
Businesses are now taking advantage of multi-site RPOs, which enable them to replicate their data in multiple geographically dispersed locations. This means that businesses can quickly switch over to the nearest backup site when an outage occurs and resume operations without any service disruption.
企业现在正在利用多站点 RPO，这使他们能够在多个地理位置分散的位置复制数据。这意味着当发生中断时，企业可以快速切换到最近的备份站点，并在不造成任何服务中断的情况下恢复运营。
Tips for Implementing and Managing Recovery Point Objectives实施和管理恢复点目标的提示
Implementing an effective RPO requires careful planning and consideration to ensure that data is backed up as frequently as necessary without disrupting business operations. Here are some tips to help you set up and manage them:
实施有效的 RPO 需要仔细规划和考虑，以确保在不中断业务运营的情况下，尽可能频繁地备份数据。以下是一些可帮助您设置和管理它们的提示：
Ensure that you have the right tools to monitor your system and detect any potential issues. With the right monitoring and management system, you can ensure that your RPOs function as intended and keep your data safe.
确保您拥有正确的工具来监控您的系统并检测任何潜在问题。借助正确的监控和管理系统，您可以确保 RPO 按预期运行，并确保数据安全。
Take the time to assess your current environment and determine your specific recovery needs. Ensure you are familiar with the types of RPOs available to select the most appropriate solution for your organization.
花点时间评估您当前的环境并确定您的特定恢复需求。确保您熟悉可用的 RPO 类型，以便为您的组织选择最合适的解决方案。
Analyze the risks associated with various types of data loss and consider implementing multiple layers of protection. This will ensure that your system is safeguarded against any potential threats.
分析与各种类型的数据丢失相关的风险，并考虑实施多层保护。这将确保您的系统免受任何潜在威胁。
Regularly review and test your RPOs to ensure they are up to date and functioning as expected. This will give you confidence that your data is safe and secure.
定期审查和测试您的 RPO，以确保它们处于最新状态并按预期运行。这将使您确信您的数据是安全的。
Ensure that everyone in your organization knows the proper procedures for backing up and restoring data. Doing so ensures that your staff knows the importance of maintaining an effective RPO.
确保组织中的每个人都了解备份和还原数据的正确过程。这样做可以确保您的员工了解保持有效的 RPO 的重要性。
Establish consistent backup schedules, ensuring that all new data is backed up regularly. Backing up consistently ensures that your data is always protected and can be recovered quickly in an emergency.
建立一致的备份计划，确保定期备份所有新数据。始终如一地备份可确保您的数据始终受到保护，并在紧急情况下可以快速恢复。
Set realistic Recovery Point Objectives and design a plan that meets your business's specific requirements. This way, you can rest assured that your data is safe and secure.
设定切合实际的恢复点目标，并设计满足企业特定要求的计划。这样，您可以放心，您的数据是安全的。
Monitor your RPOs to ensure they are meeting the necessary performance criteria. This will help you identify any potential problems before they become critical and lead to data loss.
监控您的 RPO，确保它们满足必要的性能标准。这将帮助您在任何问题变得严重并导致数据丢失之前识别它们。
Utilize automated testing systems to validate the integrity of data backups, as this will help to identify potential errors and prevent disaster.
利用自动化测试系统来验证数据备份的完整性，因为这将有助于识别潜在错误并防止灾难。
