Too many companies today are relying on outdated, vulnerable data backup methods. And, most of those have no clue what a true disaster recovery or business continuity plan is – but, are quickly discovering the difference. Many are asking the comparative question, “Backup vs. Business Continuity for Toronto businesses – which is right for me?” Some are finding the right answer…and some aren’t.
We hope to clear up that question and get you the right answer once and for all here.
You see, most businesses who are computer-networked understand the importance of data backup – and the various forms of data backups – and employ it with as much constancy as their business situation and IT configuration call for.
But, not all companies keenly understand the importance of how data backup relates to both Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity Planning (BCP).
Some of you asking the backup vs. business continuity for Toronto businesses question may realize the role data backup plays in both disaster recovery and continuity planning, but fail to have either a proper DR or BCP in place.
And, although many companies have adequate Disaster Recovery plans in place, without a viable Business Continuity Plan, it defeats the purpose of having data backups and disaster recovery, if and when catastrophes like a fire, flood, or long-term power outage strike.
According to an article in CIO called, Is Your Business Ready for a Catastrophe?: “Businesses that have been through a disaster report having lost between $100,000 and $500,000 a day, according to a survey conducted in 2005 by AT&T and the International Association of Emergency Managers.
And, that was 12 years ago.
In 2017, businesses can incur up to $25,000 in data center downtime losses per hour. Mid-size and larger enterprises, much, much more.
According to Framingham, Mass.-based consulting firm International Data Corporation (IDC), 80% of businesses have experienced downtime at some point in the past, with costs ranging from $82,200 to $256,000 for a single event.
It’s important to remember that while Disaster Recovery is a key part of Business Continuity Planning, they are in fact two very different aspects of IT management. Unlike Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity considers all aspects of your business’ operations, which makes having a winning Business Continuity Plan in place essential for ensuring the future of your business.
This is true for data center downtime events and anything Nature can throw at you, too.
So, data backup and recovery is a crucial pillar of Disaster Recovery Planning, which in turn is a key component of a robust Business Continuity Plan. Without all three in place, though, your data backups are on a tenuous edge of ineffectuality.
To understand all this better, it’s a good idea to first review our Business Continuity Planning Checklist. Following these six main steps involved in the process will get you started in the right direction:
- Identify the scope of the plan
- Identify key business areas
- Identify critical functions
- Identify dependencies between various business areas and functions
- Determine acceptable downtime for each critical function
- Create a plan to maintain operations
And, TekTonic can help you with all the rest.
A Closer Look at Data Backup vs. Business Continuity
There’s no doubt that there is overlap between Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery tools and planning. However, each one exists independent of the other. Companies can choose to focus more on one or the other, but to be completely prepared, having both a Business Continuity plan and a Disaster Recovery plan ensures complete coverage should the unthinkable happen.
There is a breadth of information out there that suggests these two topics are one in the same. On the contrary, although Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery are grouped because they have to do with business preparedness, both are focused on separate objectives. It is wrong to use the terms interchangeably, so in an attempt to gain a clearer focus, let’s break each topic down.
Business Continuity Over “Just Backups”
Business Continuity planning refers to the processes that stakeholders take to ensure that normal business operations can continue during a disaster. Ideally this plan provides uninterrupted access to data and a safe place for employees to work. Successful continuity plans typically involve making sure that network connections, online systems, phones, network drives, servers, and business applications are allowed to run without downtime.
Business Continuity is broad and refers directly to management oversight and planning involved with continuous business function. Unlike Disaster Recovery, which is data-centric, Business Continuity is business-centric. Business Continuity plans are graded on their ability to limit downtime, and in a perfect world, the systems that are put in place will completely prevent the company from going offline.
Data security and protection is everything for companies doing business in this computer-networked day and age. Going with anything less than an absolutely airtight disaster recovery and business continuity plan that involves multiple layers of data backup is a reckless move. At best, it can cost you perhaps half a day’s worth of business; at worst, you could be facing bankruptcy and liquidation because you couldn’t regain or restore your vital-to-operations data.
Datto Cloud Backup and Recovery Solutions
Tektonic has all the data backup and recovery solutions business owners need, including a wealth of Datto tools and technology that are designed to take their business ventures to new heights of prosperity in the Web-connected workplace. We’re your headquarters for reliable Datto support that answers the backup vs. business continuity for Toronto businesses question with confidence.
Our Datto backup and disaster recovery (BDR) tools for businesses we specialize in include ALTO and SIRIS as well as SIRIS Virtual, among other Datto solutions. And, we provide winning Datto backup and recovery solutions in Toronto for organizations who are seeking enterprise-level tech support that truly supports their data backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning a success!
How else do we solve the quandary of backup vs. business continuity for Toronto businesses?
Tektonic, via the technology of Datto is defeating ransomware in a big way; its BDR tools protect your critical data from malicious cyberattacks. Unwitting errors, grudge-bearing ex-employees, and cyber attacks are all covered by Datto backup technology like Datto SIRIS and ALTO. Datto BDR hardware allows you to instantly restore accounts and data so you can continue with business as usual through any crisis.
With the help of TekTonic and Datto BDR, no longer will you have to ask, “What’s the difference between backup vs. business continuity for Toronto businesses?”
You will instead be intelligently aware and well-armed to deal with any disaster.
Ready to Solve the Backup vs. Business Continuity for Toronto Businesses Riddle Once and For All?
Then, just give a TekTonic associate a call at (416) 256-9928 or email us via secure contact form and we’ll get back to you ASAP on how you can get started with the Datto BDR support that will clear-up the backup vs. business continuity for Toronto businesses question for good!
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