It’s foolish to think that your business assets will always be safe. Sometimes, malicious cyber-attacks cause data loss; other times, it’s something as simple as faulty software or an office flood. At times like these, it’s important you follow disaster recovery plan examples that allow you to reshape how your organisation copes with data loss.
Whichever plan you decide to adopt, it’s essential it fits your individual business needs. And it isn’t as simple as you might think.4
3 disaster recovery plan examples you can’t afford to forget
If your data backup policies need a makeover, here are a few examples of what your disaster recovery strategy needs to include.
1. Anticipate human error
Did you know that human error accounts for 62 percent of all data loss incidents?
Although malicious attacks and hackers might be at the forefront of your mind, it’s important to consider subtler threats too. Whether it’s a janitor unplugging critical systems, or accidental damage by an employee, it’s important your business anticipates human error.
For a fool-proof disaster recovery plan:
- Invest in company-wide training to ensure that no one tampers with anything they shouldn’t.
- Back up your data in the cloud so that you can recover important files if the worst does occur.
- Restrict access to certain pools of data across devices with security features such as identity and access management (IAM).
2. Prepare for nature’s wrath
Whether it’s a natural disaster (or pesky animals), sometimes mother nature has a way of undermining our best laid plans. And for your all-important systems and devices, this can spell trouble.
For this disaster recovery plan example, it’s essential you go beyond storing and managing data. At the end of the day, as long as you have physical servers or devices, there’s always the risk of unexpected damage.
To help ensure your servers aren’t prone to disaster:
- Consider backing up your data into the cloud and taking advantage of secure, well-maintained Azure data centres.
- Ensure your office building is protected from natural disasters, such as flooding or wind damage.
- And, we suppose, it doesn’t hurt to have pest control on speed dial if rats or other animals choose to gnaw through your cables!
3. Be wary of new security threats
Did you know that 43 percent of businesses experienced a breach or cyber attack last year?
Your business can’t afford to remain complacent. Especially with more and more sophisticated cyber threats on the horizon. Here are a few you need to look out for:
- Cryptojacking and ransomware
- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks
- Operational Technology (OT) system attacks
Needless to say, it’s better to expect the worst than hope for the best. As a result, you need to ensure your data isn’t limited to one location, so your business can continue as usual when disaster does strike.
Microsoft Azure offers built-in disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS), helping make disaster recovery planning as painless as possible. With Site Recovery, you can anticipate downtime and plan for the aftermath, without spending days deploying and managing new servers.
Check out all the benefits of Azure Site Recovery.
Keep reviewing and planning
Your backup and disaster recovery plan shouldn’t remain stagnant. As your business grows, so do the number of potential threats to critical data.
It’s important to maintain a regular DR review process to ensure you’re covering all bases. And, if you require support to help migrate your assets to the cloud, don’t be afraid to seek out the right experts.
