Safety in The Cloud:

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

When deciding on your backup strategy you should understand the difference from traditional backups and actual business continuity.  Most businesses that do not have a cloud based strategy are just backing up with no plan for recovery.  There is no plan in the event of a disaster to get users back to work and your business doing what it does to provide services or generate revenue.  A business continuity plan includes a step by step process to get your business back to its mission as soon as possible.

There are dozens of Cloud backup strategies out in the market today.  They all seem to tout they are the best one and can offer your business peace of mind through sending your data into the cloud.  If you are a small to medium size business (SMB), how do you pick the right solution?  Do you base it on price, functionality, or ease of use?  The real question you should be asking - “How do I know my data is truly safe and could my business function in the case of an actual disaster?”

When you think about storing your data in the cloud the idea is that you automate the process of taking data from your site of business to a safe location.  What if the office manager forgets to take a tape or disk off site today?  Is it okay for your business to not have yesterday’s work or potentially several days of work?  Do you test your tapes?  What guarantee do you have that the data is useable or going to be ready in the time of need?

There are many reasons to consider the cloud for a business continuity solution.  However, what about all the risks?  Is your data safe, is it tested, will it be there when you really need it.  Northwest Computer Support can help guide you through these questions.  We are continuously testing solutions and ensuring that vendors are able to deliver what they advertise.  Northwest Computer Support also adds planning solutions and best practice approach to your backup and business continuity strategies.

 

Chris Butler- Vice President, Consulting Services, Northwest Computer Support  

 

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