Category Archives: Data Backup

How a BDR (Backup Disaster Recovery) Plan Works for You

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Cyber security and data network protection concept showing a business owner using her laptop computer for checking her business' data protection and security back-up plans.

Cyber security and network protection is critical for any business

What happens when your tech stack is put at risk? Businesses everywhere are now built on their technological assets. Servers, data, work software, and customer data are all essential before you even begin with websites, apps, and online security. This creates an incredible infrastructure of data. Data that must be protected and data that is relied on. So what do you do when something goes terribly wrong?

Many disasters can befall a company’s servers, network, or tech stack. But what do you do when data is lost or at risk? That is what a BDR plan helps you to deal with. But it can be difficult to visualize where a BDR would be useful unless you can grasp the disasters themselves. Today, we are highlighting three common disasters and how BDR can help you fully recover your business in the face of these disasters.

1) When You’ve Been Hacked

Hacking is the number one threat to modern business data and infrastructure. More than natural disasters, more than chance data corruption, even more than employee mistakes. Hackers are everywhere, there are more every year, and they share tactics to target modern businesses. There are many types of hack, the most notorious being the Ransomware attack. Ransomware and other malware is designed to invade a computer or a network then wreak havoc.

Once you become aware that there is a hack, it becomes necessary to root out every scrap of malicious code and program in your network.  This can be a near-impossible hunt for barbs left behind by poisonous programs – unless you have a BDR plan saved for your system.

With a complete backup and a recovery plan to implement it, you don’t have to search out every last bit of malware. You can nuke-and-pave your entire network to eliminate the malware without any loss at all. After resetting your hardware, a backup allows you to fully restore your system, your data, and even your specific installations and configurations for a fully malware-free system. This is the ultimate way thumb your nose at hackers, denying them both disruption and harvested data all at once.

2) Damaged by a Natural Disaster

Natural disasters are even less avoidable than getting hacked.  Sometimes, a large storm or event hits your region and there is very little that any local business can do to prevent the kind of damage that can happen. Basements flood. Buildings collapse. Fires can burn through server banks. Natural disasters can desolate a business’s hardware and, in turn much of their technological infrastructure. With damaged servers, data can be lost. With damaged offices, an entire network and workflow infrastructure can be taken out.

How does backup disaster recovery help you? The answer is that BDR can also be used to rebuild your business from the ground up. Replacing one computer or every physical device in an all-new office, a cloud-stored backup with a recovery plan means that you can fully restore your tech-stack on any working hardware. If your insurance covers an all-new office and devices, your BDR can then upload your entire digital infrastructure back into place.

This is the true spirit of business continuity.

3) Corrupted Software Updates and Lost Data

Finally, there is corrupted and lost data, the original reason why BDR plans were designed for modern businesses. Software can corrupt when updated – destroying the tech stack and all related data – or even just a section. This is a common enough problem that regular backups are the known solution. At the same time, common employee errors can occasionally cause massive data loss. Mis-clicks or tapping the ‘delete’ button at just the wrong time can cause seemingly irrevocable data loss and other damage. Fortunately, a good backup can restore some or all of your data so that no single temporary mistake becomes catastrophic to the company or even to the employee.

 

How does BDR help your business? Backup disaster recovery plans can save you from malware, data corruption, mistakes, and natural disasters With these heavy-hitters at the top of the list, no doubt any business can think of a dozen more smaller disasters that a good backup and a comprehensive recovery plan can do to ensure business continuity. Contact us today to consult on the best BDR plan for your company.

What Will Happen If I Do Not Have A Backup Disaster Recovery (BDR)?

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A folder containing emergency/disaster recovery plans

Life is unpredictable. Backup Disaster Recovery (BDR) plans are essential.

Backup and Disaster Recovery is an archiving solution that is used to retrieve information that could have possibly been corrupted, lost, or accidentally deleted. Your Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan will instantly become your insurance policy against data breaches and data losses.

If you are operating a small business, your business will be at a higher risk of closing its doors completely within less than a year after the data breach or data loss.

On the other hand, if you are operating a mid-sized business or a large business, you will be at a greater risk of being one of the targets of cyber criminals because of the significant amount of data you possess. Cyber criminals will also target larger businesses because of the financial resources they have to pay high ransoms.

If you instantly lose access to your data, applications, and documents, it does not have to lead to the end of your business. With the right backup and disaster recovery plan, you can significantly reduce your downtime and get your business running again. What can happen to your business if you do not have a reliable Backup and Disaster Recovery plan?

Significant Downtime

We understand it can be difficult to understand the real cost of downtime for your business. Did you know the average cost of downtime to a small business can exceed $8,000? While two of the things you will lose during the downtime are efficiency and productivity, they are not the only things you will lose.

You will also lose a significant amount of data that may have already landed in the hands of the wrong people. You will spend a significant amount of time trying to recover data and trying to get your business operating again.

The Loss of Data

There is more than one cause of data loss. If you do not have a Backup and Disaster Recovery(BDR) plan in place, the data you lost may not ever be recovered. If you suffer a permanent data loss, the amount of data you lost could be worth between $150 to $250 per record. That is certainly a significant amount of money that you will lose once you calculate how many data records have been lost.

The End of Your Business

It is important for you to have an understanding of how important the value of eliminating risks. As mentioned earlier, if you operate a small business, the loss of data or a data breach can lead to the end of your business. Unfortunately, over 50 percent of small businesses that suffer from data losses and data breaches will never recover.

Unfortunately, the loss of data will lead to more than just the loss of money, It will be extremely difficult for your current customers and clients to trust your business. It will also be difficult for potential customers and clients to give your business a chance after learning about the significant data loss or data breach you experienced.

As we have witnessed this year, natural disasters can happen at any time and in any location. Natural disasters can completely alter the state of any business, regardless of the size. It is also important to be vigilant of cyber criminals who can attack at any time. Natural disasters, malware, ransomware attacks are happening every year, and you have to understand that these disasters and attacks can lead to irreversible damage to your business.

You need to have a backup and disaster recovery plan in place or you can find yourself in a difficult position to recover. If you do not want to put the current state of your business and the future state of your business in jeopardy, please do not hesitate to contact SystemsNet for more information on how you can implement an effective BDR plan.

Change Your Backup Disaster Recovery (BDR) Habits

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Performing routine backups has gotten easier and affordable for the small business market

You can compare poor IT habits to weeds, they can pop up everywhere and you will have a challenging time getting rid of them. Bad IT habits especially increase in backup and disaster recovery. IT team members can pick up bad habits from their leaders and pass them down to other members of the team.

Since there are so many parts to keep up with and take care of, it is no surprise to us that many IT teams use processes that do not produce the results they are looking for. Let’s take a look at some Backup and Disaster Recovery habits that should be eliminated.

Complexity

Have you found yourself going through too many processes and solutions? If you have, you are definitely aware of how challenging and complex the task can be. You are not spending your time completing tasks that could benefit your business or organization. Instead, you are spending your time trying to ensure your backups are working, running tests on your devices, and trying to get your tools and equipment to work the way they were intended.

Even when you do make changes and eliminate some of your solutions, the chances are high that one of your solutions will require you to complete over five steps. One of the best ways for you to address this problem is to create a comprehensive solution that will allow you to recover data with only one click of the mouse. A one-click recovery system will also allow you to complete automated tests and other features that will no longer require you to spend hours on laborious tasks.

Uncertain Backups

Do you remember the time when your backups did not require you to have them encrypted? Today, there is always the risk of threats and attacks that could result in the retrieval of sensitive data. The threats and attacks are not slowing down, and this is one of the reasons why it is so important for you to encrypt your backups.

When your backups are encrypted, they will play a key role in the recovery of your data if you are involved in a malware or ransomware attack. When you take the necessary steps to ensure your backups are available, you will give your business operations a better chance of staying up without having to pay the attacker anything.

Your Disaster Recovery Plan is Obsolete

Do you have a documented plan that explains how the backup and disaster recovery plan will be carried out? When was the last time your plan was tested? If your backup and disaster recovery plan has not been tested recently and is outdated, that plan may no longer work for your current processes.

Processes and solutions are constantly changing, and it will not take much for your plan to become unusable. It is important to consistently conduct tests and risk assessments to ensure your plan will work. When you test your plan, you will also be able to identify any holes that need to be filled. One small hole that has not been filled can result in a major problem down the road.

Backup Disaster Recovery(BDR) does not have to be a complex and laborious task, especially when you have the right processes and solutions. When you have the processes and solutions that fit your system, you will have the tools you need to expedite your recovery and reduce manual labor.

Are you ready to improve the performance of your infrastructure? Contact us today for more information on the importance of Backup Disaster Recovery and how you can implement the right plan for your operations.

What Will Be In Your Backup Disaster Recovery (BDR) Plan?

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Backup data recovery planning can avoid extra stress if disaster strikes.

As a business operator or business owner, you will have a long list of daily tasks that you are responsible for. The responsibilities you have will include your short-term goals and your long-term goals. One of the key responsibilities you will have to taken on as a business owner or operator will be the implementation of a Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) plan.

A BDR Plan: What Is It?

A backup and disaster recovery plan for your business is the set of procedures and protocols that you have established. These procedures and protocols have been put in place to protect the following:

  • Your employees
  • Clients/customers
  • Critical data
  • Your business’s infrastructure
  • Other key components that you will need to protect if a disaster strikes

Disasters can come in a variety of forms and sizes, such as weather-related disasters, equipment failures, cyber threats, and human errors. Any of these disasters can cause crucial disruptions in your business or organization. When you have a BDR plan in place you will give your business a better chance at surviving if a disaster does strike.

Unfortunately, over 50 percent of businesses and organizations that do suffer data losses will have to close their doors for good because they did not have a Backup Disaster Recovery (BDR) in place, and they had no way to recover their data.

What Should I Include In My BDR Plan?

It is important to understand that putting an effective BDR plan together can take some time because it should be designed to focus on multiple areas of your business. Your Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) plan will also need to account for the various types of disasters that could strike and potentially end your business. Every Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) must contain key components in order for it to be a successful plan.

Key Components Of Your BDR Plan

During the creation of your Backup and Disaster Recovery plan, it is important to perform an assessment of your business and identify the key components of your business. They key components of your business should consist of everything your business needs to operate. The key components could include the following:

  • Business or organizational software
  • Systems databases
  • Employees

When you are able to identify and successfully plan for the safety and rebuilding of your business or organization, you will be able to quickly get your business or organization on the right track after a disaster takes place.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

If there is a potential for a disaster to strike, your BDR plan will need to include the roles and responsibilities of all of your employees. Everyone needs to be aware of what is expected of them before, during, and after a disaster.

Your BDR plan should provide all of your employees with a detailed outlook of their responsibilities so there will not be any confusion. Communication will be a critical factor during this time, and it is important to have a system in place that will allow everyone to communicate with one another.

Before your business or organization implements a BDR plan, your plan will need to be tested to ensure it will fulfill all of your needs after the disaster. When you test your plan and identify any problems, you should make the necessary adjustments.

If you need assistance in creating your Backup and Disaster Recovery plan, SystemsNet can help businesses and organizations like yours create, implement, and manage their BDR plan. For more information on Backup and Disaster Recovery strategies, please do not hesitate to contact us. Call us today at 888-676-1228  or complete the form so we can help you further.