Disaster recovery has come a long way since its origins as an IT afterthought at the dawn of the digital age. Companies have placed a greater emphasis on the protection and continuity of their tech blueprints during challenging stretches of coordinated network downtime and disaster-induced outages, and DR has steadily climbed the ranks as a priority for organizations in all corners of the economy.
However, even the most experienced decision-makers may still find themselves unsure about the finer details of today’s continuity and recovery advancements. Instead of risking falling behind the curve and losing ground to competitors during periods of unpredictability, smart executive leaders will learn all they can about the essential elements of a modernized DR support system. Here are three components of continuity and recovery that simply can’t go under the radar when formulating an IT plan for the future:
1. Frequent and thorough system replication: A disaster recovery system is only as good as its most recent replication, and up-to-the-minute virtual imaging is one of the most important parts of a modernized DR strategy. Data, applications and operating system settings aren’t very helpful unless they are restored in their most relevant form, so constant and complete replication is key to ensuring optimal conditions during a recovery.
According to a recent article from ComputerWeekly, establishing recovery point objectives is a great way to set realistic expectations with a DR service provider when it comes to restoring systems and information. Forming these agreements is also critical to build trust and accountability with a vendor.
2. Instantaneous recovery capabilities: How long does it take before a recovery process begins to lose its value? In this fast-paced world, recovery time objectives are getting shorter, and decision-makers must ensure their RPOs are a cut above the competition to retain an edge. ComputerWeekly pointed out that determining component-specific recovery criteria allows vendors to restore environments with greater speed and precision, and prioritizing key assets makes this possible.
It’s also crucial to remember that with DR, there’s no such thing as too much system testing. Business leaders should rigorously test their plans to see if their service providers really deliver instant recovery.
3. Automation on-premise and in the cloud: Today’s IT environments are spread across multiple data center locations and cloud settings, making complete recovery assurance a daunting task for internal IT. With the guidance of a third-party service provider, however, a company can ensure the protection of its disparate tech assets no matter where they stand geographically. Whether in the basement of the business headquarters, in a co-location facility or in a cloud server across the country, modernized DR solutions can support it all with automated precision.
“Implementing DR effectively depends on using the right technology, possibly in conjunction with cloud services, and implementing robust operational processes with as much automation as possible,” said Tony Lock, program director at analyst group Freeform Dynamics, according to ComputerWeekly.
With these three keys in mind, a company can rest assured its IT profile will be safe and sound no matter what obstacles it encounters.