be read by the backup program. That is a useful part of validation, but as an entire validation process, it's useless. A proper validation process consists of at least two processes. Validation of a backup file is of little or no use unless it compares the backup file's data to the data of the source. Additionally, "validation" is an unknown unless it's known with certainty that the backup file can actually restore the source's data. Optimization Optimization is the process of examining productivity patterns in the process of backup to determine where improvements can be made and often, where certain (less important) backup jobs may be eliminated entirely. Chargeback Very often, the service of backing up data is done by one person (or persons) in the service of others, the Owners of the data. Becoming more prevalent today also is the charging for those services back to the data owners. A simple fee per backup might be agreed upon, or, as is more often the case, a complex charge based on success rates, speed, size, frequency and retention (how long the copy is kept) is put into place. Usually some form of service level agreement (SLA) is in place between the backup service provider and the data owner in which it is agreed what is to be done and how the service is to be charged for. See also Backup Backup software Data security