In today’s digital economy, data is more valuable than ever. Data loss and prolonged downtime can be a killer for most organizations. Unplanned downtime and data loss are expensive and can cripple a business.
According to Information Technology Intelligence Consulting (ITIC), a third of companies say that a single hour of downtime can cost them anywhere from $1 million to $5 million. And this doesn’t include the possible cost of litigation, fines for noncompliance, customer attrition due to lack of confidence in your company, and in many cases, loss of mission-critical data.
If data loss and downtime are so devastating, why do so many companies have inadequate disaster recovery and data protection? Why is it such a struggle for IT to get what it needs to keep the organization running smoothly after downtime or data loss occurs?
For companies, the answers to these questions can start the process of creating a more effective data protection strategy within their organization.
Here are some tips and considerations for formulating your strategy:
Go Back to the Future
Work backward. Imagine your worst–case scenario and then engineer the solution you need to mitigate that disaster.
Do you have the right plan, people, and systems to recover? From a data center perspective, if you get hit with ransomware or experience some other event that causes downtime, do you have a disaster recovery site that can be spun up in minutes, buying you time while you remediate the issue?
Having off-site backup is crucial. A ransomware attack or natural disaster may destroy your on-premises backup files, causing you to lose valuable data forever.
Protect All Your Data
Are you able to protect all your data? What about your cloud-based data, such as Microsoft Office 365 data? Are you aware that it may not be completely protected or that retention periods may not meet compliance regulations, or even your own internal standards?
Find a solution that can protect all your data with ease, because when complexity enters into the equation, IT often falls short. Backup strategies are frequently fragmented and lack visibility into the entire system. Companies seldom test their backup and recovery or disaster recovery solutions often enough.
Lean on a Partner
Get out of the disaster recovery and backup business. Your job is to focus on your core business. The right partner can help you fulfill your data protection needs and requirements.
Work with a partner who understands how important data protection and disaster recovery are to your organization. When choosing a partner, look for one that knows the threat landscape and compliance regulations for your industry.
Using hybrid cloud or a colocation means gaining a partner for data protection. Your hybrid cloud or colocation provider will ensure that your backup and disaster recovery resources are up-to-date and functioning optimally.
Hybrid cloud improves recovery point objectives (RPOs) and recovery time objectives (RTOs) by synchronizing the private cloud with public cloud backup resources. A colocation serves as off-site backup to guard against ransomware attacks or natural disasters that could destroy your on-site backup files.
MSPs Can Help
Avoid the risks associated with downtime and data loss by securing a technology partner. Working with a managed service provider (MSP) will augment your IT staff and resources by delivering the backup and recovery expertise needed to protect your company data.
FirstLight offers managed services for companies in a wide range of industries throughout the Northeast. Our experienced engineers can provide network monitoring to prevent data from being lost or stolen. We also offer cloud backup and recovery, disaster recovery-as-a-service, and state-of-the-art colocations to ensure that your company’s downtime and data loss are virtually eliminated.
Get the details on Managed Services from FirstLight. Check out our Engineering Services Agreement and reach out to us today.
