Are you a small business and storing your business data online? No doubt, it makes information easier to manage and access. But, it also makes your sensitive data vulnerable to unauthorized users. As a business owner, you should develop an IT disaster recovery plan to minimize network downtime and financial loss.

What is a DRP – Disaster Recovery Plan?

It is a structured approach, a set of instructions that explains how a business will resume its work after an unplanned incident. A well-tested DRP helps to recover the data and system functionality. It minimizes the effects of a disaster; it allows a business to operate quickly and successfully.

Points to be considered for an effective Disaster Recovery Plan:

• Recovery Point Objectives are a part of DRPs. It is an estimation of the amount of data to be lost during recovery efforts.
• Recovery Time Objectives show an estimated time taken by the business to resume its normal operations after a disaster.
• Maintaining an offsite backup of your business data is an essential part of a recovery plan.
• A DR plan will be easy to follow if you have created an accountability chart and assigned roles to everyone at your organization.
• A recovery plan requires being well-tested. It ensures its success in case of an actual emergency.

Is a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) the same as a Disaster Recovery Plan?

The terms might sound similar, but BCP and DRP are two different things:

• A BCP focuses on keeping the operation running. For example, if a computer stops working, BCP will focus on: keeping the business running without that computer either by using a backup computer or by manual documentation.

• A DRP focuses on restoring the business operations after a disaster. For example, if a computer stops working, DRP will focus on: fixing the original problem either by calling an IT specialist or replacing that computer.

4 Types of a Disaster Recovery Plan:

1. Network DRP:

This solution primarily focuses on recovering the network issues about performance. It can be a complicated document for a complex network.

2. Cloud DRP:

Data in this plan is specific to the cloud: like copied files in cloud storage. You must know the location of your physical and virtual servers. Cloud DRP primarily addresses data security.

3. Virtualized DRP:

This plan explains the procedure to validate the virtual applications. These applications would run on your system in case of a disaster. This virtual environment resumes business operations within minutes by recovering your application programs.

4. Datacenter DRP:

This plan primarily focuses on infrastructure and data center facilities like office space, security, power system, and building location.

Steps to create an IT Disaster Recovery Plan:

You can follow the following steps to create an effective DRP for your organization:

• Prepare an inventory report
• Set a recovery timeline
• Communicate
• Find a cloud solution for data backup
• Consider human error, physical damage, and insurance
• DRP testing
• Find the right Managed Service Provider

Wrapping Up:

Consider the factors like budget, human resources, technology, data, and suppliers while determining a recovery strategy. Building a resilient disaster recovery plan protects your business against disasters of all kinds.