Disaster recovery plans are a must-have for every business. Not only do disaster recovery plans protect vital information, but they also get businesses up and running when disaster strikes. Recent statistics tell us that only 50% of businesses test their disaster recovery plans annually with the average experienced downtime from a single event, lasting 79 minutes incurring hourly costs of $85,000. The question is, do you trust your company's disaster recovery plan? Can your plan really recover what it needs, when it needs, in order to protect your data, applications, and security? There's only one way to know for sure.
Test Your Disaster Recovery Plan
Every disaster recovery plan needs to be tested regularly, whether it's run in-house or through a Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) provider. It's recommended to test your plan at least twice a year or when significant infrastructure changes take place.
These tests not only provide the knowledge that your disaster recovery plan works, but they can also help to gain insight into issues that may arise in a disaster. They train employees to know exactly what to do, and they give your staff the experience with their roles and responsibilities in an emergency situation.
Things to Consider
When you're working with a disaster recovery plan, there are certain items that should be considered. Here's a breakdown of what your company needs to be aware of to ensure trust between the provider and an understanding that when things go bad, your disaster recovery plan will work.
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Who is the central point of contact, both within your own company (contacts for each department, escalation contacts, etc.) and with the provider? Do you have multiple numbers to reach them when needed? Are they accessible 24/7? If they're not available 24/7, what do you do when a disaster strikes?
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What roles and responsibilities do you and others have when the disaster recovery plan needs to be implemented? Knowing your provider's responsibilities as well as your own is important to ensure you're working together to restore after the disaster rather than overlapping responsibilities, wasting time, and making mistakes.
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What order does the recovery process take? What items are priorities and how do you make them so? Review what items are critical for your organization in recovery, these items should be prioritized.
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Are the instructions clear regarding how to proceed with data recovery? Is every step detailed and understandable? Do your employees understand their roles and responsibilities in the recovery process?
You need to know when your disaster recovery plan is needed, it will work. By running simulations of the recovery process, your team can gain a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities, know just what to do when it's time to execute, and ensure the company's data is safe and sound.
Are You Looking for a Disaster Recovery Service Provider?
If you're thinking about using a cloud provider in your disaster recovery plan, consider Cloud Carib. Headquartered in Nassau, the Bahamas, Cloud Carib is a cutting-edge, managed service provider that offers private and hybrid hosting options. Cloud Carib's disaster recovery, CaribDR, can ensure your information is safe and secure, no matter the size, type, or scope of data. If you're looking for tailored disaster recovery from a reliable provider, contact us to speak to one of Cloud Carib's representatives today.
