Cloud disaster recovery (cloud DR) includes strategies for backing up applications, resources, and data in a secure cloud environment. It safeguards corporate resources to guarantee business continuity if disaster strikes. Companies can restore data from backups, automate processes, and rapidly scale according to their requirements and needs.
Why is Cloud Disaster Recovery Essential?
According to a study conducted by Uptime Institute, 44% of surveyed businesses experienced a significant outage that impacted their operations. Most of these disruptions were caused by power failures, necessitating a solid DR strategy to quickly recover data and resume operations. Cloud DR is ideal for these situations.
In addition to guaranteeing availability during power outages, disaster recovery plans can help ensure business continuity during system failures, natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and software updates. Cloud DR provides an easy and affordable solution. It is often offered as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution that can be scaled according to the organization’s individual needs. The interfaces are typically user-friendly and easily deployed, making cloud DR a flexible and cost-effective option.
The Difference Between Cloud and Traditional Disaster Recovery
A conventional disaster recovery strategy involves the storage of data copies in a redundant data center. Traditional on-premises data recovery:
- provided a dedicated site for the recovery of IT infrastructure, equipment, and staff
- offered enough server capacity to deliver an increased level of scalability and performance
- included adequate internet and bandwidth to facilitate remote access to the backup data center
- provided a reliable connection to ensure data availability
The disadvantages of a traditional DR plan included the complexities and high costs involved with managing two data centers, and the lack of scalability. A cloud DR plan addresses these issues.
Cloud disaster recovery plans:
- do not require a local site, rather use existing cloud infrastructure as a “secondary site”
- can be rapidly and easily scaled up or down based on requirements, without necessary equipment purchase
- offer flexible pricing models
- enable companies to restore data in a matter of minutes, provided a working Internet connection is in place
- allows backup data storage across multiple geographical locations
Developing a Cloud-Based Disaster Recovery Plan
When analyzing your needs, a comprehensive risk assessment and impact analysis of existing IT infrastructure should be performed. Once risks and vulnerabilities have been identified, companies can evaluate how well the existing infrastructure is equipped to handle the challenges. They can then document the steps and technologies required to address unexpected events as they take place.
The objective is to create a plan that helps put all necessary measures into place that will allow a timely response. These measures may include:
- a detailed disaster recovery plan explaining response protocols, including outlining roles and responsibilities
- steps undertaken to minimize potential threats and vulnerabilities, including routine updates and employee education
- documentation of manual and automated measures to support quick response
- plans for testing and updating the plan on a regular basis
Managed Services and Cloud DR
Managed services provide the most advanced cloud disaster recovery solutions available, giving companies the opportunity to utilize resources and infrastructure that were traditionally out of their reach. If you are a Sarasota area SMB looking for ways to recover more efficiently and rapidly from any threat of downtime, call Alliance IT today. We can help you set up your recovery plan with backup data securely in the cloud, ready for rapid retrieval no matter what happens. Be ready for anything this year—call Alliance IT today to learn more.
Remember: Hurricane season begins on June 1st, so make sure you are prepared! Read more here about preparing your infrastructure, systems, and data to weather our severe regional storms before they arrive.
