With more and more companies reliant on IT to keep the business running, the need for a ’just in case’ plan has rarely been more pressing.

For companies with software applications that serve multiple users simultaneously, e.g. CRM, ERP, ticketing, HR management tools or similar, should one of these systems be unavailable or give up the ghost for whatever reason, then all your users will be affected until it’s back up and running. That costs time and wastes resources.

Assuming disaster has not yet struck, let’s take a step back and think about the top things to consider.

1. Plan to fail.

By which we mean plan on the basis that something is going to go wrong! And start planning from the worst case scenario backwards. Think about the impact different types of disaster scenario actually mean to your business. A fire destroying a warehouse is very different to a server hard disk corrupting, but both require a response, so plan accordingly.

2. Document your plan.

You need to ensure that the equipment, technology and media that you work with is correctly documented and know who you can rely on for assistance.

3. Share your plan – part 1.

You won’t want to cope with disaster recovery on your own, so you need to be sure that any other people involved know what to do. Or chances are, all hell will break loose on the first day of your holiday and you’ll be trying to deal with things from a hotel room on your mobile.

4. Share your plan – part 2.

If something goes wrong, you certainly won’t be left alone to quietly sort things out. Our experience shows there is often a fair amount of ’discussion’ and gnashing of teeth. The best way to minimise this is to ensure your key staff understand the risks associated with your IT infrastructure, allowing you to manage their expectations.

5. Test your plan.

Often, there is only so far you can go with testing as actual events may present unforeseen challenges, but at the very least, simulate what you can to test yours and others responses. If necessary use the findings to adjust your plan.

6. Keep your plan up to date.

As your IT infrastructure changes, so must your plan.

 

If there’s one thing we hope you’ve learned, it is that Disaster Recovery is all about the plan. If you want any help or advice, Sentis Managed Solutions are experts at developing Disaster Recovery plans and include a review of your plan as part of our Free IT Audit.

Get in touch now for a free, no obligation appointment.