Cloud Disaster Recovery is a form of insurance to protect your IT assets in the case of a disaster. It works by 'virtualising' an entire service into a single bundle that can be reloaded at a later point.
In worst-case data loss or disaster situations, the entire virtual server can be copied or backed up to another device or data centre and relaunched on a virtual host in a matter of minutes.
Cloud Disaster Recovery is typically implemented only when it is required. Regular backups are made from a data centre to a cloud storage repository. In the case of data loss or an extended outage (lack of service) by a vendor, another replicated virtual server can be launched from the alternative physical location to handle data and application requirements until the original is put back in place.
High-quality Cloud DR services are integrated into cloud storage and deployed by the vendor from a third-party specialist operator without the client even knowing. This is how online services are magically maintained during a natural disaster. Data and applications are relaunched in a distant location during the natural disaster. A business can also independently engage a Cloud DR vendor. For example, if a businesses’ cloud storage vendor went bankrupt, a Cloud DR strategy would kick in that would sustain the business until an alternative cloud storage vendor was made available.
Disaster recovery services have always been expensive. Business pays more for faster and larger data recovery. In the case of Cloud DR, software can finely tune a substantial amount of data and applications to get the most value out of a DR budget. Cloud DR works extremely efficiently for small to medium-sized businesses. The smarter cloud services vendors provide full disaster recovery services that replicate the servers between data centres and the entire network configuration. In this way, the entire network recovers as fast as the backed up cloud servers. Cloud DR has a number of benefits for all SMBs, including
As a decision maker who is looking for a Cloud DR solution for SMB, you require easy-to-access technology. You will be looking for a provider that allows you to run test data recovery scenarios as well as allow you to manage your own data and applications when an actual disaster is in progress.
Analyse your disaster recovery requirements
Triage is the main principle used when creating a Cloud Disaster Recovery plan. The advantage of cloud-based DR over traditional disaster recovery is that you can allocate resources. This means you can allocate more resources to the most important data and applications to keep your business operating in a disaster situation.
An analysis of your requirements starts with identifying what applications, services and data are to be prioritised. How much downtime can you withstand? To what extent will your business be impacted by downtime?
Compare vendor advertised services with service-level agreements and cross-reference to determine the best provider
Choosing the wrong provider can put your business in serious hot water in the event of a real data and application crash. Make sure you understand the terminology in SLAs and make sure you compare them. Request a trial period before agreeing to commit.
Create Cloud Disaster Recovery polices, train employees and test regularly
New technologies necessitate new procedures. It is also important to get employee buy-in for these procedures. Create policies highlighting the benefits to the company and to employees. Train and drill your team with simulations on a regular basis.
Are you thinking of using Cloud Distaster Recovery?
We have experience helping organisations make the transition can can help you see the benefits of increased efficiencies, improved productivity and minimised downtime.
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