Backup vs Disaster Recovery: What Is the Difference?

The two terms are often used as if they mean the same thing. They do not, and the gap between them is where businesses get caught.

Backup

A backup is a copy of your data, kept somewhere safe. It answers the question: can we get our files back?

Disaster recovery

Disaster recovery is the plan for restoring systems and getting people working again after a serious failure. It answers a wider question: how do we carry on, and how long can we afford to wait?

Questions to ask

1. What must come back first? Rank your systems by how much the business depends on them.
2. How much data can we afford to lose? This decides how often backups run.
3. How long can we be down? This shapes the recovery design and cost.
4. Where are the copies kept? At least one should be away from the main site.
5. Has anyone tested a restore? An untested backup is an assumption.
6. Who is responsible, and is it written down? Steps should not live in one person’s head.

Cloud can help

Cloud platforms can hold copies off site and can be used to restart systems elsewhere. The design still needs to be planned and tested.

Next step

NetworkAE can review your current setup and plan recovery as part of Cloud Hosting & AWS or ongoing Managed IT Support & AMC.