Why is a Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan Necessary for Every Business?

What is a Backup? 

A backup is simply the process of creating one or more copies of the data on your system. This could be by using the Cloud, or transferring files onto a physical drive like a memory stick. This means that if any file becomes corrupted or lost, you always have a backup stored in a secondary location that can be used to restore the original.  

At TwentyFour IT, we believe that files should be saved in three different locations, so that should the worst happen, you always have a backup for your backup. This is commonly known as the 3-2-1 backup method. These should include two different storage types, for example hard drive and memory stick, and one remote storage type.  

This may seem like overkill to some, but businesses that do not have backups are more susceptible to loss, should disaster strike. Your business should find the most cost-effective plan for you that will allow you to store your backups with the same level of security as your original, if not better.  

Backing up data goes back to before computers existed, with people making backup copies of paper-based records. You can find a list of backup options here. 

What is a Disaster Recovery Plan? 

Disaster recovery plans are a policy or process created by your organisation that should be put in place in the event of disaster, such as unforeseen floods, a fire, or even malicious cyber-attacks.  

What should your disaster recovery plan consist of?  

• Goals, 
• Personnel, 
• IT inventory, 
• Backup procedures, 
• Disaster recovery procedures, 
• Disaster recovery sites, 
• Restoration procedures. 

Every step to responding to the disaster should be outlined and a plan of action should be provided for the organisation to carry out.  

In order for your business to limit the down time of their site, and recover the lost data, this is a necessary precaution to have in place. You want to keep your business running as normal, and your customers want that too. This will help you limit the extent of the disruption, and minimize interruptions to regular operations.  

You should develop your disaster recovery plan at the same time as your business continuity plan, so that the two can go hand in hand. A business continuity plan, or BCP, is a document outlining what actions should be taken during an unplanned disruption in service in order to keep the business operating. While this sounds similar to a disaster recovery plan, this is more apprehensive.  

Key features of a BCP include the following: 

• Strategy,  
• Organisation,  
• Applications and data, 
• Processes, 
• Technology, 
• Facilities.  

You can read more about business continuity plans here.  

Why do I need a Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan? 

You need a backup and disaster recovery plan in the event of a cyber-attack or disruptive events such as natural disasters or power outages. Should this happen and your business is without any documentation to outline the steps you should be taking, it could become very hard to resume every day operations, and the future of your business could be in jeopardy. You could lose significant profits that could affect your business in the long run; 80% of businesses suffering a computer disaster, who have no disaster recovery plans, go out of business.  

Every second of the disruption to normal working operations means financial and reputational loss. You want to minimalize that time as much as you can, and having a backup and disaster recovery plan is essential to doing this.  

Conclusion 

Overall, it is for the best of your business to implement a backup and disaster recovery plan as soon as possible. The best thing for your business is to ensure continuity for you, your employees and your customers.  

We offer a disaster recovery service here at TwentyFour IT, which removes the need to manage and maintain on-site dedicated facilities, reducing costs and eliminating risks associated with single points of failure and insufficient capacity to cope. Our team work diligently to ensure that your company is back online within hours. 

Just think.  

Are you ready for disaster to strike your business?