Everything you need to know about disaster recovery but didn’t dare ask
It is not uncommon for businesses to neglect the preparation it takes to be ready for a data-loss disaster. Time and time again the development of a disaster recovery plan is ignored, in favour of the comforting thought that the kind of detrimental event that would require such a plan, will probably never happen.
A devastating 93% of companies without disaster recovery protocols, who suffer from a major data disaster, are out of business within just one year. Whilst it may seem that larger businesses with 250+ employees would be able to bounce back from a data-loss disaster much quicker than an SMB, the repercussions for not having a disaster recovery plan in place tend to be correspondingly larger.
Nick Amin, CIO advisor at KPMG, has outlined the following 6 critical points to help shape your understanding of the importance of disaster recovery, and how it should be implemented in your business.
What are your options?
Many enterprises have a heavily demanding data-load, or perhaps multiple data centres. They will need to consider the most pertinent approach to disaster recovery.
The traditional process of safeguarding your business’ crucial files involves data recovery services replicating the application state between two data centres before permitting a back-up site to activate a new duplicate of the application comprising the most recently copied data. However, in some cases this can be severely lacking in efficiency.
A variety of cloud-based alternatives are available, or you could go down the ultra-reliable route of software, such as Peersoftware’s Peersync or Gurusquad’s GS RichCopy 360 Enterprise. The efficient method of autonomously cloning and protecting your data that these services provide is hugely beneficial to any enterprise and has minimal risk of human error.
Forward planning is key
A successful disaster recovery plan should result in a seamless continuation of your critical operations after a significant interruption. Recovery or resumption of critical technology infrastructure and systems within your enterprise should be guaranteed.
Countless businesses work under the assumption that they will hopefully never need to implement this kind of plan, as the initial expenditure can seem off-putting. This is a fruitless assumption and could quite easily yield devastating results for your business. If the moment comes when you realise you desperately need to implement a disaster recovery plan that you don’t have, it will be too late.
What is a ‘disaster’?
Either a natural or human disaster could put your disaster recovery plan into effect. Natural disasters include floods, fires, hurricanes, as well as any other natural occurrence that could result in disruption to your critical operations. A human disaster, on the other hand, could refer to a number of different incidents; from a simple man-made error to a criminal attempt at sabotage.
As long as you have a practical disaster recovery plan set in place, these unfortunate events should cause no significant disruption to the functioning of any essential aspects of your business.
More than a back-up
At its core, disaster recovery is a method of backing up essential data, but it includes other vital aspects too. It’s important to make sure your disaster recovery plan is adjustable. Whether your successful business expands, more data centres are developed, or even if you launch overseas, your disaster recovery plan needs to be adaptable to account for these possibilities.
You can remove any anxieties related to these monotonous changes by incorporating a software that can easily account for an infinite amount of data entering your business.
Know your own business
All businesses generate a vast amount of data. Some vital components of which will be essential documents and private data collections, however, it’s also important to consider all of your critical business functions when it comes to disaster recovery.
When developing a faultless disaster recovery plan, it is imperative that you conduct an extensive review of all of your company’s core departments. From human resource management to accounting and finance; each and every department requires careful evaluation and consideration when it comes to your disaster recovery plan.
Seek help
Whilst it’s definitely important to plan for disaster, even those with considerable business understanding may have little experience in the world of data recovery. Seeking professional advice is never a bad idea when it comes to developing an exemplary data recovery plan.
The numerous programmes, developed for the sole purpose of data recovery, have customer service teams that offer ongoing support to all those struggling with the difficulties of disaster recovery. GuruSquad, for example, provides their clients with invaluable support whenever it’s required. Companies that aren’t blessed with ample disaster recovery experience can reap substantial benefits from this kind of service.
The author is Nick Amin, CIO advisor at KPMG.
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