Backupplaner

Backupplaner is a term used to describe a software tool or component designed to help organizations create, model, and document data backup plans. Unlike backup execution software, which performs backups, backupplaner focuses on the planning phase, including policy definition, risk analysis, and schedule design. It may be used to compare strategies, ensure coverage of critical assets, and align with compliance requirements.

Core functions typically include policy-driven planning, asset and data classification, retention rule definition, backup window planning, and schedule generation. Many tools provide simulations to estimate storage needs, bandwidth requirements, and potential recovery objectives under different scenarios. Dependency mapping, coverage reporting, and change management features help maintain up-to-date plans as environments evolve.

Architecturally, backupplaner can operate as a standalone planning station or as part of a broader backup and disaster recovery platform. It usually stores a model of the IT environment, protection policies, and target storage, and may integrate with discovery tools, ticketing systems, and backup executors. Supports multiple environments such as on-premises, cloud, and hybrid setups, and can model different backup strategies, including full, incremental, differential, and synthetic backups.

Typical workflow begins with asset discovery and classification, followed by defining protection objectives, creating and validating backup plans, running simulations, and generating runbooks or policy artifacts for execution tools.

Limitations include dependency on input accuracy, potential mismatch between planned and actual performance, and the need for integration with execution systems to enforce the plans. The term is used variably across vendors and communities, with many organizations implementing backup planning as part of broader data protection programs.

See also: data backup, disaster recovery planning, backup policy, data protection, risk assessment.