Organizations with significant technological footprints need to have disaster recovery solutions in place. This can be challenging in a constantly evolving threat environment that encompasses both man-made and natural disasters.

Even if you have disaster recovery (DR) solutions in place, you need to regularly assess your organization's preparedness. You can do these 5 things to start the assessment process.

Ask the Simplest Questions

Start with the most bare-bones questions about your operation's plans. What technologies, data, and processes face threats? Where are those assets and their backups? Are there redundancies in place? Could your organization fully recover everything in a disaster, and if so, how quickly?

Examine Maximal Outcomes in Low-Probability Scenarios

When it comes to assessing the need for DR solutions, keep the maximally bad outcome in mind. You should do this even if the probable scenario is extremely unlikely. If a low-probability event could leave an organization paralyzed for weeks, months, or even years, you have to operate under the assumption it will happen. Consequently, you need to have the appropriate disaster recovery solutions in place before it does.

Assume You're at Risk

Every digital presence fundamentally exists in a bad neighborhood. Organizations that have their critical systems fully air-gapped can see them compromised if a contractor brings in a USB stick or SD card, for example. Segregation and obfuscation don't solve tail risks. Likewise, the risks extend beyond man-made events. Companies have to consider recovering from physical disasters like floods, hurricanes, heavy snowfalls, and more. Even if you have facilities in the safest place on Earth, never assume there are no possible adverse outcomes.

Focus on Resilience and Redundancy

DR solutions are only as good as their ability to withstand wide-scale and adverse events. Many businesses have operations in the cloud and at physical facilities. For example, a business analytics firm might have cloud backups of all its data. However, it can't assume the cloud backups are enough. Foremost, the cloud doesn't protect on-site systems. Secondly, there are low-probability events that may affect both physical systems and the cloud. DR solutions need to add redundancies so your operation can be resilient.

Be Persistent in Assessing Issues

The implementation of a set of disaster recovery solutions doesn't make the risks go away. If you stop assessing potential threats, you risk falling behind the curve. Follow industry news to learn what risks may be emerging. Conduct regular assessments to adjust your organization's posture accordingly.

For more information, contact a DR solutions company, like Nfina.