It is far too easy to put off, or ignore, the need to plan against unexpected downtime.
Many businesses feel they have enough to do, without planning for remote possibilities. However, if disaster does strike, in the absence of an effective plan to ensure rapid recovery, the impact on a business can be catastrophic.
Among potential disasters are fire, flood, theft, loss of power, loss of telephone or Internet connectivity, loss of access to your building, data theft, hacking, and IT hardware or software failure. Company-wide staff illness and the loss of key IT personnel can also have serious implications for knowledge management within your company.
Depending on the nature, size and level of its dependence on technology, the costs of a disaster to a business can vary. Smaller businesses can lose hundreds of pounds per hour of downtime suffered, whilst the highly technology-dependent, and those providing professional services, can lose ten times that amount. In addition, there is also the potential for loss of data, business and reputation.
Disaster Recovery Planning
Information Technology is vital to the running of most businesses. Many rely heavily on technology for day-to-day operations, including email, accounts, customer relationship management, resource and meeting management, and for longer-term planning.
An IT Disaster Recovery plan is a component of a wider Business Continuity Plan. It sets out the processes to quickly and effectively recover vital IT systems, in order to help ensure the quick recovery of the business after a disaster.
The Solution
After completing an initial fact-finding stage, Bridge Partners will facilitate a workshop to identify, discuss and analyse all the risks your business faces.
Taking into account key factors which include:
- The size and nature of your business
- Your degree of reliance on Information Technology
- The particular risks you face
- Your need for email and Internet access
- The criticality of the information and data on your network
- How long you can manage without key technologies
- Budgetary constraints
Bridge Partners will report on our findings and tailor a suitable and effective IT Disaster Recovery Plan, that is proportionate to your business needs and no more.
No business, however small, can safely afford to be without an effective IT Disaster Recovery Plan to help it get back onto its feet with minimal loss of profit, time, data, business and, perhaps most importantly, reputation.