Backup & Restore

Backup & Restore

The SCF Controls Platform provides built-in backup and restore functionality through the web interface. Regular backups ensure you can recover your data if needed.

Quick Start: UI Backup & Restore

The easiest way to backup and restore is through the platform’s built-in Data Management feature.

Accessing Data Management

1. Click the Database button in the header
2. The Database Health & Statistics popup opens
3. Scroll to the Data Management section at the bottom

Creating a Backup

1. Open the Database Health & Statistics popup
2. Click Download Backup
3. A JSON file downloads automatically with name format: ccf-backup-YYYY-MM-DDTHH-MM-SS.json
4. Store this file securely

The backup includes:

• All scoped controls and their status
• Evidence tracking configurations
• Organisations and users
• Assignments and comments
• Tasks and notifications
• Metadata (timestamp, record counts)

Restoring from Backup

1. Open the Database Health & Statistics popup
2. Click Restore from Backup
3. Select your backup JSON file
4. Review the Restore Preview:
   • Backup creation date
   • Creator (if available)
   • Total records and per-table counts
5. Click Confirm Restore to proceed

Data Warning

Restoring a backup replaces ALL existing data. The current database contents are cleared before the backup data is imported.

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Backup File Format

The platform uses a JSON backup format for portability:

{
  "metadata": {
    "version": "1.0",
    "created_at": "2025-01-15T10:30:00.000Z",
    "created_by": "admin@example.com",
    "table_counts": {
      "organizations": 1,
      "scoped_controls": 150,
      "evidence_tracking": 200,
      "users": 5,
      "assignments": 25,
      "comments": 50
    }
  },
  "data": {
    "organizations": [...],
    "scoped_controls": [...],
    "evidence_tracking": [...],
    ...
  }
}

Field	Description
metadata.version	Backup format version (currently “1.0”)
metadata.created_at	ISO timestamp of backup creation
metadata.created_by	User who created the backup
metadata.table_counts	Record count per table
data	Full data for each table

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What Gets Backed Up

Data Type	Included	Notes
Organisations	Yes	All organisation records
Scoped Controls	Yes	Control selections and status
Evidence Tracking	Yes	Evidence configurations
Users	Yes	User accounts and roles
Organisation Members	Yes	User-org relationships
Assignments	Yes	Control/evidence assignments
Comments	Yes	All comments and discussions
Evidence Tasks	Yes	Task records
Notifications	Yes	Notification history

Not Included

• SCF catalog data (controls, evidence requirements) — This is static reference data provided by the platform
• System configuration — Managed by the platform

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Backup Best Practices

Recommended Backup Schedule

Frequency	When	Purpose
Weekly	End of week	Regular checkpoint
Before major changes	As needed	Safety net before bulk operations
Before audits	Before audit period	Preserve audit-ready state
Monthly archive	First of month	Long-term retention

Storing Backups Securely

1. Keep multiple copies — Store backups in at least two locations
2. Use secure storage — Encrypt backup files or store in secure cloud storage
3. Document your backups — Keep a log of what each backup contains
4. Test periodically — Verify backups can be restored successfully

Before Major Changes

Always create a backup before:

• Bulk importing or deleting controls
• Major configuration changes
• User cleanup operations
• Organisation restructuring

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Testing Your Backups

Regularly verify backups are restorable:

1. Monthly test — Download a backup and review its contents
2. Quarterly drill — Restore to verify data integrity
3. After major updates — Create and verify a new backup

Verifying Backup Contents

After downloading a backup:

1. Open the JSON file in a text editor
2. Check metadata.table_counts matches expected record counts
3. Verify metadata.created_at shows the correct timestamp
4. Spot-check a few records in the data section

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Disaster Recovery

If Data Is Lost or Corrupted

1. Stay calm — Backups exist for this situation
2. Identify the issue — Determine what data is affected
3. Select the right backup — Choose the most recent backup before the issue
4. Restore — Use the Restore from Backup feature
5. Verify — Check that data is restored correctly

Recovery Time Expectations

Scenario	Expected Recovery Time
Accidental data deletion	5-10 minutes (UI restore)
Data corruption	5-10 minutes (UI restore)
Need to revert changes	5-10 minutes (UI restore)

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Troubleshooting

Backup Button Disabled

Cause: Another backup/restore operation is in progress.

Solution: Wait for the current operation to complete.

”Invalid backup file” Error

Causes:

• File is not valid JSON
• Missing metadata or data sections
• Unsupported backup version

Solutions:

1. Verify the file wasn’t corrupted during download or transfer
2. Check that you selected an SCF backup file (not some other JSON)
3. For older backups, check version compatibility

Restore Fails Mid-Process

Cause: Network interruption or server error during restore.

Solution:

1. Wait a moment and try again
2. If issues persist, contact support
3. Try restoring with a different backup file

Restore Shows Wrong Data

Cause: Restored wrong backup file.

Solution:

1. Check the backup file’s metadata.created_at timestamp
2. Restore the correct backup
3. Keep backups organised with clear naming

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Related Guides

• Configuration — Platform settings
• Monitoring — System health
• Troubleshooting — Common issues