Key Components of a Disaster Recovery Plan – Part 1
October 6, 2020Crucial Components of a Disaster Recovery Plan – Part 3
October 14, 2020Part 2 will discuss IT Infrastructure Protection, Data Continuity, Backup Testing, and Temporary Backup Server Strategy.
IT Infrastructure Protection
Companies situated in regions where hurricanes or tornados strike seasonally must have a plan ready that protects equipment from severe weather. Prioritize keeping electronics safe from being damaged by water by locating them in windowless rooms. Alternatively, wrap them in heavy plastic or sealed in waterproof containers. Servers can be housed offsite or its data stored in the cloud.
Data Continuity
Essential for all organizations of every size, data continuity helps makes their business operations resilient. A crucial step is performing a comprehensive inventory of data storage locations and determining what personnel have access to that data. Any sound data continuity plan will regularly schedule image backups of servers and critical workstations which are stored offsite or in the cloud. This ensures the availability of a safe backup copy in any disaster.
Backup Testing
The quality of every DR plan is determined by the results of its latest test. Data should be backed up regularly, and a comprehensive backup of all servers should be performed weekly. In addition, follow the 3-2-1 data backup rule. This entails having at least three copies of your data and storing at least two backup copies on various storage media, one of which should be stored offsite. Following this rule will decrease the vulnerability from corrupted backups, a natural or manmade disaster, and hardware failure.
Temporary Backup Server Strategy
Strong providers of a Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) will backup data to offsite cloud-based backup systems. Instant-On Server technology will allow a company to spin up a perfect clone of your company’s server, enabling business continuity even in the toughest circumstances. Server replication can significantly decrease hardware recovery times to below 15 minutes, rather than days. A short recovery time can preserve an organization’s strong public image and prevent financial losses stemming from lost productivity.
Part 3 will cover Emergency Backup Power, Communications & Internet Reliability, and Remote Work Policy.
Alpha Engineering Business Support
Choosing an expert computer technology-support provider is an important decision for your business. Alpha Engineering Associates has been a trusted partner of many companies in the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis areas since 1990. For affordable client-focused network consulting services and solutions, please call Alpha Engineering Associates today at (410) 295-9500.