Virtually all businesses and organizations rely on computers in some capacity by storing large amounts of data and utilizing them to process information. While computers are wonderful pieces of technology that allow businesses to run more efficiently and organized, the threat of losing crucial information and data can be high.

This does not mean you need to start storing information on paper or in a safe again, but there are proper precautions that must be taken in order to better protect your business’s information. This is where a disaster recovery plan plays a critical role in ensuring your data is safe and secure.

Here at Auburn IT, we believe your business should be safe from potential harm. If an issue does arise previously creating a disaster recovery plan can help. To understand the significance of implementing a disaster recovery plan, you have to understand what it is and how it can benefit your business long term.

What is It?

According to IBM, a disaster recovery plan is “a formal document created by an organization that contains detailed instructions on how to respond to unplanned incidents such as natural disasters, power outages, cyber attacks, and any other disruptive events.” While short-term outages can usually be recovered from easily, long-term outages can cause serious financial and information loss.

This set of procedures is to ensure that your data is recovered in case of a natural or security disaster and your business's operations can be continued. Your company's reputation and revenue is at stake if you are not able to recover relatively quickly, especially if your clients’ data was compromised in the process.

What Goes Into A Disaster Recovery Plan?

The disaster recovery plan created needs to include specifics for each type of disaster instead of lumping all possible disasters together. This includes separate sections for power outages, floods, fires, cyber attacks, and any other disasters you might experience. Each type of disaster requires a separate plan to be implemented because each of these disasters could cause different damages or require a specific detailed recovery strategy.

Recovery strategies for specific elements of a company’s computer operations are also a valuable component for a disaster recovery plan. A protection plan for computer and network security, wireless devices, hardware, and the physical computers themselves are all important pieces of the operation that need to have a comprehensive recovery strategy.

Creating an extensive inventory of all of your company’s hardware including manufacturers, models, serial numbers, and the cost of each is a major component of a successful disaster recovery plan. It ensures that your company has a detailed list of all equipment in case something is compromised.

Lastly, backing up data to a secure system can help eliminate the wasted time it would take to recover all the lost information. Disasters cannot be predicted, but protecting your data from a massive breach can be done with the implementation of a stable backup solution.

Why Do I Need One?

According to phoenixNAP, 93% of companies without a disaster recovery plan who suffered a major data disaster are out of business within one year, and 75% of small businesses do not have a disaster recovery plan set into place.

Because of the enormous amount of data stored on our computers and networks that can be compromised at any time, developing a disaster recovery plan could be the difference of staying in business or not. Keeping your plan updated and thorough will help your business thrive without the fear of losing information.

Developing a disaster recovery plan not only helps your company’s chances of staying in business after a data disaster, but it can make you more competitive in your market as well. If you and one of your competitors loses data due to a cyber security breach, how quickly you recover can be a deciding factor between consumers picking you over the competitor.

Your data is one of the most valuable components to your business’s success. At Auburn IT, we want to ensure that your business is functioning as safely as possible. We assist in composing detailed disaster plans and properly securing your data to avoid any issues. Contact us today to learn more about how we can cater to your IT needs.