Business owners must be realistic about how they deal with catastrophes and prepare for them now. Baltimore businesses, in particular, are no stranger to devastating disasters. In May, the region experienced massive flooding that halted all business activities, resulting in millions of dollars in damage and lost revenue.
There’s no telling when another severe flood will occur, so if you haven’t already created a disaster recovery (DR) plan, it’s about time that you do. Maryland businesses should start planning soon and make sure to consider the following factors when developing their disaster preparedness strategy.
Prioritize Critical IT Assets
Identifying your mission-critical assets is crucial to your business continuity plan. Some IT systems are more essential than others, so take that into account when determining the hardware, software, data, and staff you need to be functional when creating a DR strategy.
If, for example, your business’s eCommerce platforms drive the majority of your revenue, you would want to ensure all assets associated with your eCommerce operations are backed up and secure. Likewise, laptops and internet connections are probably necessary to process even the most basic business requests.
Understand RPO and RTO
Every organization may prioritize its IT assets differently, but all organizations depend on their data to survive. That's why you must understand your RPOs and RTOs.
Your RPO (or Recovery Time Objective) determines the amount of data your business can afford to lose following a disaster or at any given time period, without suffering substantial losses. Your RTO (or Recovery Time Objective) indicates the maximum amount of time it should take to restore your critical IT systems.
Establishing your disaster recovery plan based on these two parameters ensures you don't pay for excessive protection or overlook important assets. RTOs and RPOs vary for every business and largely depend on the nature of a company’s operational requirements.
Consider Offsite Backups
Your data is your business’s lifeline, and one natural disaster or cyberattack can wipe it all out. Government agencies like the Small Business Administration (SBA) offer loan assistance programs to help small businesses recover after a disaster.
But despite the available help, many businesses fail to recover from the costs of repairing damages. According to a recent Federal Emergency Management Agency research, it takes at least three months to recover from a disaster and 40% of small businesses fail to reopen after a disaster.
Storing your digital information in a secure offsite data center is the biggest guarantee of your survival after a hurricane or malware attack. Entrusting the safety of your data to a backup services provider means your data will be stored in a secure facility monitored and backed up regularly by expert technicians.
Test, Refine, and Update the Plan
Testing your disaster recovery plan is one of the easiest things to overlook when setting up a business continuity strategy. Disaster recovery plans can fail for many reasons: backup system incompatibility, outdated data centers, and human errors. Testing your plan gives you more time to iron out kinks by using simulations of real-world scenarios.
Enlist the Expertise of an MSP
Averting and surviving disasters will take a lot of your time and resources. Luckily, businesses in Baltimore, Annapolis, and Towson that need a comprehensive backup and disaster recovery solution can rely on the expertise of a managed IT services provider like NetQuest to simulate disaster recovery scenarios that ensure your disaster recovery plan runs smoothly.
To prepare for the worst, it’s imperative that you work with the best computer support team. NetQuest’s certified IT technicians have built and refined disaster-proof systems for businesses in Maryland. Don’t wait -- Request a FREE system assessment today!
Like This Article?
Sign up below and once a month we'll send you a roundup of our most popular posts
