Even when businesses are planning for their best possible future, it is important that they also prepare for the worst possible disruption. Disaster can strike at any time, whether it’s caused by a natural catastrophe or a man-made error, so it’s vital that organisations know how to mitigate the impacts of disruption and return to full capacity as quickly as possible.
The Equifax data breach and the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey demonstrated two very different disasters that can cause significant business disruption. Although it is impossible to prevent the multitude of different disruptive threats facing businesses today, an effective disaster recovery plan can allow companies to plan for the future with a little more confidence.
Resilience and recovery
Disaster recovery needs to be a key consideration for every organisation because it is not simply about reacting to unforeseen disruption, it is about being resilient at all times. Business continuity is a key strand of disaster recovery and could save your business from untold amounts of financial and reputational damage by keeping your core processes operation when disruption hits.
A robust disaster recovery solution will also give businesses a clearer understanding of what their most important processes are, allowing them to prioritise effectively when trouble occurs. For example, by carrying out a business impact analysis (BIA), companies will find out how much money they will lose when a particular solution is disrupted – and therefore, how long they can afford to be without it. This provides clarity when disaster strikes, exactly when it’s needed most.
When, not if
The main reason why every business needs to plan for disruption is that it is highly likely that disaster will occur at some point in the future. Cyberattacks, employee mistakes, flooding, power outages – any of these incidents could cause serious damage to your business and it is very difficult to predict when you are likely to experience them.
Unfortunately, many organisations only choose to invest in disaster recovery once they’ve already faced disruption. This leaves them open to huge financial losses, reduced levels of productivity, declining consumer trust and even complete business failure. In today’s world, where many businesses rely on digital solutions, the potential for disruption is greater than ever, but many firms still refuse to take the necessary precautions.
Of course, one of the main reasons that businesses adopt the mantra of: “it won’t happen to me,” is because they are concerned that they do not have the resources or expertise to implement a disaster recovery plan of their own. It seems like something that might only be possible for large multinational corporations. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
Disaster recovery as a service enables businesses of all sizes to prepare for every eventuality. Everything is fully managed by your service provider so there’s no need to worry about whether you have the in-house knowledge or financial clout required to overcome the next mishap waiting to derail your organisation. With the support of the right disaster recovery provider, businesses can feel confident that they are prepared for whatever is waiting around the corner.
