Does your business depend on your network and digital data for day-to-day business operations? Would data loss result in downtime and lost productivity? If you answer yes to either of these questions, it’s critical to understand the importance of an effective disaster recovery strategy. If you already have one in place, you may be able to do a little bit more than you thought possible.
What’s Your Strategy?
When it comes to data backup, it can be difficult to discern what your business does and doesn’t need. If you’re still deciding whether you need a disaster recovery plan, it’s time to figure that out first. The best place to begin is by brainstorming potential threats, how your business would respond to them given your current strategy, and what the consequences would mean to your operations. Think of disasters like fires, storms, cyber attacks, and theft. Then, step back and look at the bigger picture. Are you doing enough? Chances are, you could be doing more.
Once you’ve weighed the most likely threats, go back and decide how you would respond to them in an ideal world. In the event of a fire, would cloud storage allow your team to continue working remotely? In the event of a cyber attack, would a redundant off-site backup solution allow you to recover your data in a matter of hours? These are the kind of questions you need to consider when developing your disaster recovery strategy. Before you can enact your plan, you need to analyze your needs and understand your goals.
Consider Critical Components
What systems does your team depend on most? In the event of a disaster, your business should be prepared for the loss of one or more of your critical system components like:
- Your computer or server room
- Hardware like servers, desktops, laptops, wireless devices, and peripherals
- Internet connectivity
- Software applications
- Off-site data centers
Compile a list of the network resources your team depends on most. From there, you can prioritize the infrastructure that needs to stay up or get up and running as quickly as possible in the event of a disaster. This process will allow you to establish concrete goals and timelines for your ideal disaster recovery strategy.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
If you assess your disaster recovery needs, it’s completely understandable to realize you may be in over your head. Having a Managed Service Partner can help you keep your head above water during planning, implementation, and when it comes to restoring data in the event of a disaster. When you partner with an MSP like ANC, you have a team of experts who not only design and deploy an ideal disaster recovery solution but also continually monitor your system to ensure it’s always there when you need it most.
Interested in learning more about our services? Contact ANC today.
