Why use cloud-based disaster recovery?

Over the past several years, the cloud has been a driving force behind many information security innovations and changes. It has become an integral part of information and cybersecurity infrastructure and has even started to become an important tool for disaster recovery.

Pros of cloud-based disaster recovery

Whether a disaster is big or small, the cloud can help get your business running again quickly, easily and for a reasonable price.

Speed

Disaster recovery can be kind of be a…well, disaster. A survey conducted by TwinStrata found that nearly two-thirds of organizations measure disaster recovery time in days, not hours. The survey also found that businesses with cloud-based storage had a quicker recovery time; 12% of survey respondents predicted they could recover from a site disaster within a couple hours and cloud storage users were twice as likely to recover in that timeframe (20%) as non-cloud storage users (9%).

Ease

The cloud is the closest thing we have to a magic “fix-it” button in a disaster situation. Without the cloud, disaster recovery can include days of connectivity, equipment and file corruption issues. With the cloud, you know, at the very least, you data is not corrupted and it is accessible.

Cost

The popularity of cloud storage has led to a dramatic increase in service providers. This increase has led to lower and more competitive prices, which has made cloud storage a possibility for even small businesses. Unfortunately, many people are taking advantage of the popularity and duping businesses into buying their sub-par cloud services. Make sure to do your due diligence before signing any contracts.

Con of cloud-based disaster recovery

While it has many advantages, cloud-based disaster recovery is not flawless; cloud computing comes with its share of issues, most notably, security. Both digital and physical security of your data should be considered before investing in the cloud. If your data is highly sensitive, but you want the benefits of the cloud, consider a hybrid cloud.

It’s about more than technology

Effective disaster recovery requires more than good technology, it requires disaster recovery and business continuity plans that factor in employee readiness. You need to make sure your employees know what to do; there needs to be – frequently updated – step-by-step instructions on how to maintain business operations. Technology is important, but recovery requires prepared employees, too.