Unit pretesting provides an invaluable, low-cost way to maximize test resources and increase focus on the more challenging end-to-end synchronization, cross-connectivity and interdependency issues that too often are never exercised for lack of time. Component-level server restoration procedures, backup and restore techniques, point-in-time data synchronization and recovery group interactions can all be tested effectively on in-house test/dev hardware or in a small purpose-built “DR sandbox” environment.
Unit pretesting can be conducted repeatedly, at will, and need not burn precious test slots. It can be used to validate alternative techniques to save time or improve reliability. And it can be used to keep procedures evergreen as the environment changes between the big tests. In many organizations, complete end-to-end process streams can be pretested on a relatively small hardware footprint. The advantage of having this level of recoverability proven before larger tests are even started is huge.