Disaster Recovery Plan for Businesses

Disaster Recovery Plan for Businesses

One of the worst things to happen to a company is an unexpected loss of critical data that takes countless man hours to restore. It is important to have a solid disaster recovery plan in place to avoid the worst outcomes of these situations. The purpose of this plan is to ensure that your data is backed up and there is a corresponding re-implementation plan in place. Disaster recovery is a crucial aspect to any business continuity plan.

These plans are not as complex as they may seem and offer added peace of mind to business owners. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Getting Started

Recovery plans are not one size fits all and vary according to company size. Below are some items to consider before determining the scope of disaster recovery your company needs.

  • Prevention. Consult with a disaster recovery team to assess your company’s potential risks and determine ways to minimize the likelihood for disaster in advance. This should include regularly scheduled audits and system checks.
  • Hire the right company. Once you have chosen a company who fits your needs, devise a plan on what to do in case of an emergency. Designate an in-house team to implement the recovery plans in the aftermath.
  • Plan ahead for continuity. Take the necessary steps to protect your company’s hardware and software to minimize the damage and loss of valuable data. Hardware protection includes surge protectors, battery backups, and environmental controls. Software protection includes regular backups of data, virus protection, and firewalls.
  • Add extra protection to more vital records. Consolidate all of your company’s vital records. Consider backing these records up offsite and in a cloud-based storage program.
  • Plan recovery procedures in advance. Conduct a recovery analysis and develop a plan with clear goals and objectives in place for a speedy recovery.
  • Make regular updates. Be sure to review your company’s recovery plan on a regular basis with your disaster recovery company. Update your plan whenever there are new operations implemented or there are changes to your business endeavors, such as a change in vendors or new mergers or acquisitions.

Contact Braden today to get started with your company’s disaster recovery plan.