In the world of business, it is impossible to prevent disaster completely. Disruption is caused by such a wide range of variables and unpredictable factors that no company, no matter how big and successful they are, can declare themselves immune to downtime.
In fact, sometimes larger companies may be more at risk. Hackers, for example, may choose to target a large multinational firm over a smaller enterprise because they feel that they have more to gain. So, although, prevention is always preferable to a cure, this won’t always be practical.
And yet, organisations of all sizes and in all industries often remain unprepared when disaster does strike. By not planning ahead sufficiently, companies run the risk of turning short-term disruption into irreparable damage, which is why a thorough disaster recovery plan is a must for any modern-day business.
Planning ahead
When you are formulating your disaster recovery plan, businesses needn’t look at technical solutions straight away. The initial steps in a successful disaster recovery plan may largely involve manual processes undertaken by hand. For example, businesses should create a list of essential office processes and equipment. Completing a business impact analysis (BIA) will also provide organisations with concrete figures to help them react appropriately when disaster strikes.
A comprehensive BIA will tell companies exactly how much financial damage will occur when a particular service or process is disrupted. This, in turn, informs them exactly how long they can afford to be without it. This also allows businesses to prioritise their recovery process. Perhaps they can afford to be without their internal emails for a few hours, but any downtime to their online shop may be much more damaging. The cost of disruption can vary hugely, but a good disaster recovery plan clearly highlights any potential financial impacts.
Disaster Recovery as a Service
Increasingly, modern businesses are finding that Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) is the most effective way for them to mitigate the impact of disruption. Instead of managing disaster recovery in-house, businesses that implement DRaaS pay a subscription fee to a managed service provider to organise everything remotely.
This bestows a number of benefits, particularly in terms of financial expenditure. Costs relating to disaster recovery can quickly accumulate and organisations may need to invest in significant amounts of hardware. New servers may be required to back up data, improved network infrastructure may be necessary or staff training may be needed. With DRaaS, however, these costs are included in a company’s subscription fee. Large capital expenditure is replaced by smaller, more manageable operational expenditure.
Choosing the right DRaaS provider, however, is a hugely important decision. Businesses should look for reputable managed service providers that can deliver flexible services to meet a company’s bespoke needs. DRaaS from Sungard AS, for example, is guaranteed by a robust service-level agreement (SLA), so businesses can feel assured that they will receive service of a particular standard. With DRaaS, companies will also obtain a disaster recovery plan that is scalable, ensuring that it meets their needs as they continue to develop and grow.
If companies are worried about the possible impacts that disruption could have on their business but aren’t sure if they have the resources to implement a disaster recovery plan of their own, then DRaaS offers the perfect solution. By planning ahead now, you’ll be safeguarding your company’s future.
