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:
Network DRP:
Cloud DRP:
Virtualized DRP:
Datacenter DRP:
This solution primarily focuses on recovering the network issues about performance. It can be a complicated document for a complex network.
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.
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.
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.