Today, a disaster strikes and your company’s data is gone — forever. You can’t afford the cost of rebuilding your entire IT infrastructure again from scratch.
Fortunately, with the right cloud-based recovery solutions, you can quickly and easily get back on track.
Here’s what you need to know about disaster recovery in the cloud.
What is cloud disaster recovery?
Cloud DR is a type of storage and connectivity solution that is provided by a third-party service provider. The most important feature of this type of DR is that it only happens when an outage occurs. Therefore, you don’t have to spend time and money on rebuilding your infrastructure from scratch.
Moreover, you can scale your DR solution on demand to fit your business’ current and future needs. So, if your data center gets destroyed due to a natural disaster, you can simply access your data from the cloud.
Cloud DR versus traditional DR
Cloud DR services work in a similar way to traditional on-premise DR solutions, except that the underlying storage is stored in the cloud. Disaster recovery, in this sense, is typically a reactive process that requires quick action and can be completed in as little as 24 hours.
Cloud disaster recovery differs from traditional DR because it’s proactive, rather than reactive. It provides protection against any type of disaster by storing data on multiple servers located in different geographical areas. Cloud DR solutions also offer an alternative to traditional backup solutions, as it ensures the data is always available and accessible, regardless of whether the user has access to their own data center.
Benefits of cloud DR
Cost Savings: Cloud DR is a proactive strategy that can save businesses a lot of money and downtime by giving them the ability to recover quickly after an outage. It also helps save on operational costs by relieving them from the need to maintain redundant hardware and software infrastructure.
Flexibility and Scalability: Public cloud services and disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) providers can deliver resources on demand, which enables your business to access or adjust those resources whenever necessary.
Reliability: With the data stored in remote locations, there’s no risk of physical damage if a flood, fire, or other calamity strikes your business premises.
Fast Recovery: with swift recovery times and automated routines that minimize human error, cloud DR makes all the difference in a time of crisis, helping your organisation regroup and ensure your business continuity.
Cloud Disaster Recovery as a Service
Cloud DRaaS is a service that allows companies to store and recover their data in the cloud. These services provide companies with the ability to take advantage of the benefits of cloud computing while avoiding the hassles of setting up and maintaining a private cloud.
The popularity and usage of cloud DRaaS is rising; in a recent survey, 36% of respondents said their business is using DRaaS, while over 20% reported they planned to implement it within a year.
The most popular cloud DRaaS solutions are:
Microsoft Azure: Microsoft offers Azure Site Recovery – a strong, comprehensive solution, particularly for companies already utilising Microsoft software. The pricing is competitive, and offers a tight integration with system centers.
AWS: Amazon Web Services offers Elastic Disaster Recovery, which is ideal for organisations already using AWS’ cloud services. This solution allows you to launch recovery instances on AWS, and once your apps are running, you can choose to keep them there or replicate the data back to your primary site.
Zerto: A HP enterprise, Zerto offers a range of DRaaS services, including continuous data protection. The platform and software are compatible with a wide range of production systems, and offers multiple billing models, including pay-as-you-go.
Creating a cloud-based DR plan
How you go about creating a cloud-based disaster recovery plan will depend on your specific situation. But, there are some general considerations you should keep in mind.
First, you’ll need to determine whether it’s necessary to create a full-blown backup of your entire network. You may instead be able to implement a more limited approach that focuses on maintaining your critical systems and data.
Second, ensure you have an established process for dealing with any disruptions that might occur during the planning process itself. This includes determining how and when you’ll communicate with users, how you’ll prioritise issues, and what role IT staff will play in each step.
Finally, consider the possibility that someone other than yourself might need to take over in the case of an emergency. In this case, it may be necessary to establish a backup committee comprised of key stakeholders who can step up in the event of an unforeseen situation.
Find the right cloud DR provider
A cloud DR provider offers services designed to help companies recover lost or corrupted data stored in the cloud. These companies can help manage the recovery of data after a natural disaster, technical failure, or another incident.
The reliability of cloud-based disaster recovery services can vary depending on the provider and the type of cloud service. Businesses should choose a provider with an appropriate reputation and experience in the industry to ensure they are getting reliable service at a reasonable price.
The cloud DR specialists at NetworkIQ can help you find the right cloud backup and DR solutions for your business, guide you on best practises, and manage your cloud environment for optimum data protection and security.
Comments (4)
Cameron
08/11/2022Always having access to your data whether you need it or not gives you mental space to do the important things. You don’t have to always wonder “what if?” something bad happens and can focus on whatever important tasks help your business grow. Cloud DR is a must nowadays and considering the reasonable pricing options available there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t opt for it.
Luis
08/27/2022I stopped relying on having important details just on paper years ago. Cloud DR makes things work much better, offers safety and reduces risk considerably whatever happens. We’re currently using Microsoft Azure and it’s a very good option, I think.
Damian
10/27/2022Cloud DR is here to stay. I think it will become the most used form of protecting and storing data for almost all companies within the next 3-5 years. It has so many advantages over classic ways. Plus you pay less and are much certain that your data is safe.
Charles
10/30/2022Microsoft Azure is the best way to store and protect data. Most companies are already using Microsoft software so it only makes sense to go for Azure as well. And since Azure is so good at what it does and well priced, I see no reason not to go with it.