5-Point Disaster Recovery Checklist for Small-to-Medium Size Businesses (SMB)
When considering disaster recovery, most businesses imagine storms, hurricanes and blizzards. But the reality is that many disasters come with no warning.
In fact, 45 percent of unplanned downtime is caused by hardware failure. What’s more, 60 percent of organizations don’t have a fully documented disaster recovery plan, while 40 percent of those with a plan admit that it isn’t very effective when a disaster takes place.
What can a business do to prepare for disaster recovery?
Check out this 5-point checklist that will help you get your business ready and evaluate that readiness on an ongoing basis:
People and Locations
Give the right people the right jobs. If an unexpected event does occur, you need a team in place to help manage the recovery. Figure out what tasks must be completed for each department to function smoothly, and put the right people in charge. Make as many decisions as possible ahead of time to ensure a smooth recovery.
Solidify alternative locations in which to operate. If a fire breaks out, an unexpected storm disables operations or a flood makes your office unusable, where will your staff work? Developing alternative locations, such as a satellite branch of your office — or, more commonly, the home offices of employees — will ensure that employees are able to work again sooner.
Technology and the Cloud
Implement technology that supports a robust recovery. A key component of developing a strong disaster recovery plan is putting technology in place that provides resiliency. For example, technology that operates in the cloud allows employees to securely access information anywhere, anytime, making it easier to work from a remote location should the office become unusable.
Consider cloud backups. Data is one of a business’s most important assets, and data breaches and cyberattacks are major threats. If an attack occurs, such as a malware infection, having a cloud backup in place provides additional resiliency and allows you to get systems up and running quickly.
Continue to reevaluate the plan. A disaster recovery plan is a work in progress. Once you put a plan in place, set a date for reevaluating that plan, annually or semiannually. The key is to keep the recovery plan fluid so that you can adapt it based on current market conditions and potential threats.
Do you need help creating stronger security? If so, we can help. For more information, call 866-572-2850 or send us a message today.