Having a disaster recovery plan is a non-negotiable for any company today and while every disaster recovery plan is as unique as the business it protects there are some elements that, if overlooked, could cause even the best laid plans to fail.
In this post we will look at six disaster recovery mistakes you should avoid.
Depending on people to manually back up files
If you are depending on your staff to find the time or remember to back up your files every day in the middle of everything they have to do you are setting yourself up for a disaster. Automate the backup of your files to ensure that everything is safely stored in your recovery facilities.
Assuming a key person will be able to respond
It is essential to ensure that more than one person has access to codes, passwords and recovery protocols to ensure that if anything goes wrong the matter can be handled as quickly as possible. Placing this kind of responsibility on the shoulders of one person is not practical because speed is everything when it comes to getting your company back on line.
Not testing the plan
Having a plan is great but do you know if it actually works? It is essential to test your plan before you have an actual disaster. During the testing phase you will be able to pick up on anything you may have overlooked which could save you in the long run.
Not prioritising
During the planning phase it is essential that you know and understand which of your business applications and services will come back online first after a disaster. This is an important discussion to have with your disaster recovery partner because you want them to prioritise the essential parts of your system to have you up and running as soon as possible.
Insufficient training
Training your employees on how to implement various steps of the disaster recovery plan is an important aspect that cannot be overlooked. This will help them to respond effectively in the event of an actual disaster and also ease the stress and anxiety that accompanies a disaster.
Overlooking communication protocols
Communication protocols go hand in hand with training. You need to have a full communication plan in place to alert your employees and key clients, vendors etc. that your systems are currently down. Depending on the scale of the disaster regular communication channels may also be down so you will need to plan for alternative ways of getting the message out.
