What are best practices for backing up and restoring SolarWinds NPM Orion server data?

• A. Regular database backups, configuration snapshots, and tested disaster recovery; ensure matching versions and verify backups.
• B. Backups are unnecessary if the system is healthy.
• C. Backups should only be performed once a year.
• D. Backups should be stored on the same server.

Answer: (A)

Regular, comprehensive backups are essential for SolarWinds NPM Orion. The best approach is to back up the Orion database to capture all monitoring data and history, and to take configuration snapshots so you can recreate the deployment, including settings, dashboards, templates, and customizations. A tested disaster recovery plan ensures you can restore service quickly, which means rehearsing the restore process, defining recovery goals (RTO/RPO), and having clear steps and contacts. Keeping the backup version in sync with the exact Orion version in production is important because mismatches can cause restore failures or data integrity problems. Verifying backups means performing restore tests or integrity checks to confirm you can actually recover the data and that the backups aren’t corrupted. In practice, store backups off the primary server, back up on a regular schedule, and follow retention policies to balance risk and storage needs.