A crisis or disaster affecting your corporation can be concerning for team members and stakeholders. Resuming normal operations as quickly as possible is vital for the business’s livelihood.
In the event of a disaster, it is crucial to be prepared with an effective crisis management strategy. There are many factors involved in recovering from an unplanned event and being able to continue business as usual, which we will explore below.
What Is Disaster Recovery?
Disaster recovery is necessary for a business that has recently experienced a disruptive event. After disaster strikes, control of the company’s IT system must be regained strategically. There are a variety of instances that can interrupt regular operations and business functions, resulting in financial or data loss. Some of the most common disasters are outlined below:
- Cyberattacks – A cyberattack occurs when hackers attempt to access sensitive information within a company’s IT infrastructure. This event can have various effects, from financial to data loss, and can be presented as a ransomware attack.
- Power Outages – Any outage within a company can come with devastating effects. When IT systems are down for any time, it can severely impact business operations and could result in permanent data loss.
- Natural Disasters – Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and fires can inhibit a business’s ability to return to normal operations when affected.
- Pandemic – The effects of a pandemic can impact a business’s ability to
What Is a Disaster Recovery Plan?
A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP), or a disaster recovery strategy, is a predetermined set of procedures to be followed during an unplanned crisis. The instructions in the plan provide a business with proper direction to recover from the impact and resume workflow. Several components make up a detailed DRP, some of which are listed below:
- Asset Inventory – To create an effective DRP, you will first need to take inventory of your assets. When you understand your business’s IT assets, you can better plan for a seamless recovery.
- Recovery Time Objective (RTO)- This refers to the amount of downtime that is acceptable for your business to experience during an outage or disaster.
- Recovery Point Objective (RPO)- When your systems are down or your business is experiencing a cybersecurity breach, this is a predetermined amount of data loss considered justifiable.
- Recovery Site – When moving forward with your recovery plan, you need a designated recovery site to work with. You can either host your own or use an off-site, cloud-based environment.
How To Create a Business Continuity Plan
A business continuity plan (BCP) is a plan that ensures a business will stay up and running following an unplanned event, like a human error syncing issue. When creating a business continuity plan for your organization, there are many factors to consider. Some of the most critical components that must be included in your business continuity strategy are as follows:
- Risk Management – The risk management portion of your BCP will need to highlight and assess the areas of your business that you consider to carry the most risk. This assessment pertains to cybersecurity and data protection and should include your critical systems.
- Supply Chain – In the event of a disaster, the last thing you need is a delay in IT services. To ensure your business recovers from the crisis at hand as quickly as possible, you will need more than one trusted service provider to help you get your systems back up and running.
- Data Backup – Critical company information should be backed up to minimize damage and data loss during a crisis. It is recommended to store this data in the Cloud and in multiple locations for the most straightforward recovery process.
- Contingency Planning – Contingency planning, also known as “plan B,” is essential to include in your BCP. You should outline multiple courses of action for when your data center or critical systems are affected by a disaster.
Business Continuity Plan (BCP) vs. Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
Business continuity and disaster recovery plans may seem interchangeable when managing a crisis. Still, they each have separate roles in helping businesses return to normal operations. The main differentiators between the two are outlined below.
Business Continuity Plan: The primary focus of a BCP is to maintain business operations after a disaster occurs. Using this plan ensures that a business will not close down entirely and can keep going at the previous rate.
Disaster Recovery Plan: The DRP is concerned with specific procedures in a business, such as an employee safety measures. This plan’s execution aims to ensure a business can fully recover from the current circumstances. A DR plan emphasizes the actual recovery procedures that should be implemented to achieve this.
Business continuity and disaster recovery plans are similar in many ways. The definitions of the two terms overlap in the following areas:
- Crisis management – Both methods are used during natural disasters, cyberattacks, or other disruptive events.
- Emergency preparedness – Each type of plan is established in advance and available to help businesses navigate complex situations.
- Consistently updated- Businesses must stay on top of the relevance of both plans as the company evolves. The growth of the company and any other significant changes will require updates to remain prepared for a crisis.
Why Are Disaster Recovery Solutions Important?
Disaster recovery solutions are essential for every business to have before a disaster occurs. When a company is prepared with concrete plans, the appropriate courses of action can be taken to protect IT infrastructure and business processes. Emergency preparedness prevents chaos during an unplanned event and helps an organization get back on track as quickly as possible.
If you want assistance implementing cloud security protection services for your business, our team of IT support experts can help you choose the package that fits your unique needs.
Contact us today to set up a free, no-pressure consultation with one of our remote IT specialists.
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