Disaster recovery can often feel like a race to the finish line, and Marc Goroff, chief technology officer of Quorum Technologies, takes that analogy one step further in an article sourced from Goroff on Information Age. Comparing business disaster recovery strategies to the Tour de France, the article lays out several steps that companies should take to ensure that they stay the course.
a) Shifting data recovery into gear
Similar to a blown tire, a disaster can be planned for in advance. The article lays out three must-haves for a plan to ensure speed, agility and endurance:
“First, it should be designed to protect all of your files and records, including the physical and virtual servers themselves. Second, the plan should provide a framework with the capability to quickly retrieve information and virtually replicate your business. This will allow your operations to continue at a new location, if necessary. Third, because DR infrastructure so often sits underutilised, in these times of tight budgets and staffing it’s critical to get more value out of your DR strategy even when you’re not experiencing downtime.”
Goroff recommends hybrid cloud solution or disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) to provide flexibility.
b) Test recovery capabilities
Training testing and reconnaissance are crucial to a continuity plan, according to the article. Just as cyclists learn about the path they will take, business can, and should, test their disaster recovery plans, software, and system configurations, says Goroff.
c) Creating business value beyond disaster recovery
Make sure you are spending your resources wisely, just as cycling teams make sure that the proper equipment is brought along for competition, says the article. Consider disaster recovery on demand and cloud-based testing to “only pay for what you need, when you need it,” according to the article.
Also, be sure to train your team and conduct disaster recovery drills regularly.
d) Wearing the yellow jersey
Winning requires a full time commitment, and a 100 per cent effort, says the article. “To win the Tour de France you have to attack every stage, every hill and every time trial. Likewise, it’s clear that firms would be foolish not to protect themselves against data loss. In fact, most CFOs and IT leaders understand the need for disaster preparedness but have previously found it difficult to formulate a DR plan,” according to the article. Don’t rely on traditional methods for backup and recovery that may no longer work in today’s world.
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