Rule: EBS volumes should be in a backup plan
Ensure that EBS volumes are included in a backup plan for high severity compliance.
| Rule | EBS volumes should be in a backup plan |
| Framework | Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) |
| Severity | ✔ High |
Rule Description:
According to the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) guidelines, it is essential for EBS (Elastic Block Store) volumes, which are used for persistent block-level storage in Amazon Web Services (AWS), to be included in a backup plan. This is to ensure the availability and recoverability of data in case of any data loss, system failures, or disasters.
Troubleshooting Steps (if applicable):
If any issues are encountered with EBS volume backups or restorations, the following troubleshooting steps can be followed:
- 1.
Verify EBS Volume Configuration:
- Check if the EBS volume is correctly attached to the EC2 instance.
- Confirm the volume status and ensure it is in an available state.
- 2.
Check Backup Policy:
- Review the backup policy to ensure that the EBS volume is included in the backup plans.
- Confirm the backup schedule and retention period specified.
- 3.
Validate Backup Completion:
- Verify if the backups have been created successfully for the EBS volume.
- Check the backup logs and confirm any error messages, if present.
- 4.
Review IAM Permissions:
- Ensure that the IAM (Identity and Access Management) role or user has the necessary permissions to perform backup and restore operations on EBS volumes.
- Validate the IAM policies associated with the user or role.
- 5.
Check Available Storage:
- Verify if sufficient storage is available in the designated backup location.
- Free up space or allocate additional storage, if required.
- 6.
Analyze CloudWatch Metrics:
- Monitor CloudWatch metrics for any unusual behavior or performance issues related to EBS volume backups.
- Look for any spikes or anomalies in the metrics data.
- 7.
Contact AWS Support:
- If the troubleshooting steps above do not resolve the issue, contact AWS Support for further assistance.
Necessary Codes (if applicable):
In most cases, no code snippets are required for troubleshooting EBS volume backups. However, if scripting or automation is involved, the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) can be used with appropriate AWS CLI commands.
Step-by-Step Guide for Remediation:
To ensure EBS volumes are included in a backup plan for FFIEC compliance, follow these step-by-step guidelines:
- 1.
Identify EBS Volumes:
- Identify the EBS volumes associated with your EC2 instances that contain critical data and should be included in the backup plan.
- 2.
Create a Backup Plan:
- Open the AWS Management Console.
- Go to the AWS Backup service page.
- Click on "Create backup plan" and provide a suitable name and description.
- Choose the appropriate backup frequency, retention period, and backup window settings.
- Under the "Resources" section, select the EBS volumes you identified earlier.
- Review and confirm the backup plan configuration.
- 3.
Monitor Backup Execution:
- Regularly monitor the backup execution status and verify that the EBS volumes are being backed up according to the defined schedule.
- Check for any backup failures or warnings and investigate and address them promptly.
- 4.
Test Backup Restoration:
- Periodically test the restoration of EBS volume backups to ensure their recoverability.
- Select a backup from the backup console and initiate a restoration process to a different EBS volume or instance.
- Verify that the restored data is accurate and complete.
- 5.
Review and Update Backup Plan:
- Regularly review the backup plan to ensure it aligns with any changes in your infrastructure or data storage requirements.
- Modify the backup plan as necessary, adding or removing EBS volumes, adjusting backup schedules, or changing retention periods.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that EBS volumes are included in a backup plan as required by FFIEC compliance and maintain the availability and recoverability of your critical data.