How To: Rollback Planning

In recent weeks, the news has been filled with stories about the consequences of introducing a faulty update into a company’s computer systems. While some businesses recovered quickly from the initial problems, others took weeks to resolve the issues. There were various reasons for this, but the main factor was that many companies had rollback plans in place, which allowed them to quickly restore their systems to a working state.

A rollback strategy is not just a precaution; it is a critical tool for reducing the risks associated with applying updates or fixes. In case something goes wrong, it serves as a safety net that enables you to swiftly restore systems to a stable state. Here’s a guide on how to draft and implement a successful rollback strategy:

1. Plan

Plan for the worst before any rollouts:

• Safeguard important data and systems by creating complete backups of relevant systems and data before implementing any patches or updates. This may involve creating full disk images for physical servers or snapshots of virtual machines.

• Back up all crucial databases and configuration files. Maintain a catalog of program versions that reflects the currently installed software, system parameters, and relevant settings.

• Identify the events that will trigger a rollback. It is essential to specify the circumstances that would warrant initiating a rollback. Possible triggers may include poor performance, serious errors, or unsuccessful patch installations.

• Don’t forget to identify the decision-makers.  Determine who has the authority to pull the trigger on a rollback, such as the IT manager or senior administrator. This will save time and frustration when an emergency rollback needs to occur. Once the prerequisites are met, a rollback should be decided upon promptly to minimize downtime and damage. Notify all stakeholders, including management, end users, and IT teams, that a rollback will be initiated.

2. Do

Practice, debug, and enhance your rollback procedures constantly. Make sure you utilize solutions that can automate the rollback process, such as backup software, version control systems, and snapshot management tools. When an emergency hits, you will be happy you have automation and well-rehearsed processes.

Despite your best efforts you may need to do a manual rollback. Develop detailed instructions for manually reverting to the initial state. This includes guidelines for restoring from backups and reversing configuration changes made by the patch.

3. Check

After rollback, verify that the system functions as expected. Examine the root cause of the patch deployment issue by conducting a root cause analysis to prevent similar problems in the future. Document the rollback incident, including the encountered problems, the rollback actions taken, and any lessons learned. Share these findings with stakeholders.

4. Act

After each rollout, evaluate the rollback plan to identify areas for improvement. Update the relevant procedures and strategy as needed. Incorporate lessons learned into the pre-deployment testing process to detect problems earlier.

Summary

During the inevitable scenario of a patch deployment going awry, having a well-thought-out rollback plan ensures a swift and efficient response. This minimizes the risk of long-term effects on your systems and reduces downtime.

Need help?

Contact our team at Pure IT to help you plan for any rollbacks or any other incident response needs.