Common IT Disasters That Require Cloud Disaster Recovery
Disasters – be them natural or orchestrated – are often sudden and unexpected. They can also be costly and disruptive, leading to data loss, downtime, and reputational damage. As businesses increasingly rely on technology for their day-to-day operations, the risk of IT disasters becomes more significant.
Fortunately, if your business operates on cloud services and you have a good managed services provider (MSP), then your data is more than likely safe in case a disaster hits. With cloud hosting services, all your systems and data live in a highly secured datacenter (or multiple datacenters) that is climate controlled, continuously monitored, and provides backups several times a day. If a disaster were to happen, cloud disaster recovery would be able to restore that information with little disruption to your business.
If, however, you have only on-site IT infrastructure, you’ll want to be aware of these common IT disasters and how to avoid them.
Bad weather and natural disasters
The fragility of on-site IT infrastructure doesn’t mix well with the unpredictability of nature. Disasters like hurricanes, flooding, and fires can inflict structural damage that leaves your business completely unable to access your systems. And even when severe weather doesn’t impact your infrastructure directly, it can easily cause a long-term power outage, which can almost as bad if you don’t have proper backups.
To protect against natural disasters, keep a backup of your precious data in a highly secure and weatherproof datacenter. We provide this as part of our BUDR plan.
Power Outages
Power outages are often a result from bad weather and natural disasters, but they can occur due to equipment failures or utility company issues as well. They disrupt IT operations and ultimately lead to downtime, data loss, and hardware failure.
To avoid power outages, businesses should implement a backup power plan that includes uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), generators, or other backup power sources. Regular testing of backup power systems can ensure they are operational when needed.
Hardware Failure
Hardware failure is a common cause of IT disasters. Servers, storage devices, and networking equipment can fail due to age, wear and tear, or manufacturing defects. Hardware failure can lead to downtime, data loss, and other issues.
To avoid hardware failure, businesses should implement a proactive maintenance program that includes regular inspections, firmware updates, and hardware replacements. Even better, put all your systems in the cloud.
Software Failure
Software provides another point of failure for your IT systems. Even high-quality software can expose your business to potential IT disasters. Such disasters are often blamed on bad software, but the cause is rarely bad programming. As systems grow more complicated, failures instead have far less technical explanations: poor management, communication, or training.
To avoid software failure, businesses should ensure their software has up-to-date patches that continuously updates on schedule. Businesses should also ensure the job of overseeing their software is left to capable professionals. If you use software-as-a-service (SaaS) you wouldn’t have to worry about software updates and patches.
Human Error
Human error is one of the most common causes of IT disasters. Employees can accidentally delete critical data, misconfigure systems, or fall for phishing scams. Human error can lead to downtime, data loss, and other issues.
To avoid human error, businesses should implement training programs that educate employees about IT best practices, security protocols, and data backup procedures. Regular testing and simulations can help employees learn how to respond to IT emergencies.
Cyber attacks
Cyber attacks are a growing threat to businesses of all sizes. They can take many forms, including phishing attacks, malware, ransomware, and denial-of-service attacks. Cyber attacks can lead to data theft, financial loss, and reputational damage.
To avoid cyber attacks, businesses should implement a layered approach to security that includes employee training, antivirus software, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems. Regular security audits can help identify vulnerabilities that need to be addressed. Or, get a good managed cybersecurity provider to handle the audits, protective measures, and intrusion detection.
IT disasters can be costly and disruptive for businesses. However, by implementing best practices and proactive measures, businesses can minimize the risk of IT disasters and mitigate their impact. A comprehensive cloud disaster recovery plan, a layered approach to security, employee training programs, proactive hardware maintenance, and backup power sources can help businesses avoid the most common IT disasters.