Separates verification (did it back up?) from restore testing (can we restore to a usable state?).

Confirm job success; validate protected volumes; check chain integrity; confirm offsite copy; confirm post-job device check-in.

Test restores on a schedule by system criticality; include at least one full restore path test per client on a recurring cycle.

Reporting ‘successful backups’ without restore evidence produces false confidence.

Restore test runbook; RPO/RTO standards; Backup alert triage.