How Do We Prepare Our Data For A Disaster?

Toronto firefighters responded to a dozen rescue calls on July 17^th as a torrential downpour flooded multiple roadways and left some drivers stranded. Many areas saw more than 60 mm of rain, but it was heaviest in the west end. If your business is in this area, we hope you prepared your data with a Backup and Disaster Recovery Solution.

What Is a Backup & Disaster Recovery Solution (BDR)?

A BDR ensures that you and your staff can continue working from anywhere you have an internet connection in the event of a disaster.

It combines disaster recovery and a data backup solution to ensure IT system uptime, and maximum productivity for your business.

A BDR Solution provides secure, continuous backup and fast data restoration using a cloud-based architecture.

It provides a robust set of tools to give your business the best chance to reopen and recover quickly and with as little damage as possible to your operations and reputation.

Why Is Having a BDR Solution So Important?

Any IT company or technician will tell you that a Backup and Disaster Recovery solution is essential. We would tell you the same, and we provide this service for all of our clients.

Whether you run a school, you’re an attorney, a CPA, healthcare provider or a roofing contractor, we use the same BDR standard across the board. This way, if you have a disaster, your recovery will be as quick as possible and reduce or eliminate any downtime.

What Kind Of Disasters Warrant A BDR Solution?

Depending on the location and nature of your business, your operations may be vulnerable to any number of natural disasters such as wind and snowstorms that down trees and power lines.

Or, a simple accidental deletion of data by one of your employees can put your business in a precarious position.

Plus, you could also experience a disaster like a fire in your office, broken pipes or vandalism that could keep you and your staff from accessing your computers, hard drives and servers.

And, don’t forget about the continually increasing cyberattacks that hold business data for a ransom. For all these reasons and more, you need a Backup and Disaster Recovery Solution.

What Should We Look For In A BDR Solution?

BDR requirements vary from business to business. But there are 5 key features that any company should look for…

1. Hardware Compatibility

Your BDR Solution should offer the compatibility you need across all of your appliances It should also provide flexibility for your users.

2. 24x7x365 Technical Support

Disasters occur at any time of the day or night. So you need a BDR solution that’s backed by an IT service company that will be there for you no matter what time of day or day of the week it is.

3. Redundancy In The Cloud

You need more than just a backup on site. If you can’t get into your office, then you can’t access your backup. Your BDR solution should leverage the Cloud for additional security and recoverability. It must have the capability to keep things running when disaster strikes.

4. Proven Recovery Time Objective (RTO)

Downtime is costly. So it’s critical that you can recover your data quickly and easily. Look for an IT provider who can promise that RTOs are measured in minutes, not hours or days.

5. Is Cost-Effective & Meets Your Changing Requirements

You have to watch every dollar you spend. Your IT support company should keep this in mind. The BDR Solution they provide must meet your needs while not breaking the bank. And look for a provider who can scale your BDR Solution to meet your changing requirements.

What Will A Professionally Designed BDR Plan Include?

A professionally designed BDR Plan will map out and devise strategies to ensure your business continuity.

Your Plan will:

Protect your IT System from significant disruptions.
Get your business back up and running quickly in the event of a disaster.
Test your backups and recovery regularly as part of routine site maintenance.
Perform backups hourly to a remote location without human intervention; with logging and alerting that notifies about not just failures but on the absence of success–a fundamental distinction.
Recover files and complete systems for time periods going back days, weeks and months.

Taking your backup one step further, you’ll be able to leverage the full power of the Cloud so your staff can continue working from anywhere they can access the Internet.

Other options to consider include:

A Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephone system to communicate when phone lines are down.
Approved laptops and wireless devices to create, process, manage and communicate information electronically.

What’s The Bottom Line?

Your Backup & Disaster Recovery Solution should be simple and effective. It should be cost-effective but ensure that your business will survive when a disaster strikes.

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