Why does my business need an IT disaster recovery service?
Being a small business owner in 2019 means wearing a lot of hats, bringing with it a whole host of concerns. From Brexit to banking to branding, the to-do list can seem insurmountable. Add to this the increasing threats from cyber attacks, file corruption, hardware failure and a host of other IT emergencies and you may start to feel overwhelmed. Having solutions or plans in place should be a top priority for most companies, but you may find yourself lacking in time or the specific knowledge needed to implement strong, proactive IT disaster recovery strategies. An external IT support service can provide you with much-needed advice, help and strategic planning, as well as data backups and employee training.
So why should you consider a managed disaster recovery solution for your business?
Cyber attack
Technology evolves at lightning speed which means that, unfortunately, so do the threats posed to IT systems. These threats can come in many forms, from the ubiquitous malware-infested email to more insidious risks, such as ransomware attacks or employee coercion. With these issues evolving on a daily basis, it can be difficult to keep abreast of the latest developments and ensure that your company is protected. If you do get hit by a cyber attack it can often take hours, or sometimes even days to return to operational speed, meaning a loss in revenue and huge amounts of stress for everyone involved.
Anticipating and preparing for such events can take up valuable time that you may want to spend on other things, such as growing your business or nurturing your talented team of employees.
Cyber attack preparedness needn’t be a source of anxiety or mean spending endless hours of your valuable time on procedure documents. Outsourcing your IT disaster recovery solutions can bring with it a range of benefits, from remote monitoring and maintenance to cybersecurity training for your staff. Their entire focus will be on improving your cybersecurity, without distraction. The response times to a cyber attack will often be offered around the clock, making sure that minimal time is spent getting systems back on their feet. It can also help to have an independent, objective third party to intervene at such times when often it is hard for staff directly involved in the company to see the situation holistically and with a detached eye.
File corruption
Many companies have a data backup strategy in place but don’t necessarily have the time to review it and look at potential problems or risks. As the business grows, there will be an increasing need for different systems and databases, meaning that there needs to be a solid plan in place, should these files become corrupted or get accidentally deleted. An external agency can usually undertake an audit of your current systems, the kind of data you store, the data you process and where that data is stored. You can then work with them to decide how you will backup data, how often you’ll back up and where you will keep it. Once these systems are in place, the IT support will be able to provide you with essential advice in implementing a data recovery plan, should the worst happen. If it does happen, those same IT services will be able to recover data and then look at how and why the file corruption happened in the first place.
Problems with your physical sites
Sometimes events take place in the offline world that can have severe ramifications for the online world. Unforeseen catastrophes from natural disasters to burst water pipes to fire can often put your business out of action and cost thousands in repairs and data recovery. Many external IT support services will put together strategic plans for data recovery (as mentioned above) should your website be out of action, with a minimum amount of disruption caused to your services. It will then be their job to move in – should such an event occur – and their sole purpose will be to get your tech back online and your data restored, while you and your employees deal with other areas of the business.
People
Human error happens. As mentioned earlier, the accidental deletion of files or the opening of malware-infected emails can happen and are an unfortunate part of modern life. However, a good IT support service, offering disaster recovery, will be able to provide staff with much-needed cybersecurity training, such as email security and good data backup practices, minimising the opportunities for such human error.
If you lose key personnel in your business, particularly IT personnel, it can often be difficult to onboard a new employee and be confident in their abilities. Outsourced IT support can often provide that longevity and consistency of service needed to implement the best training, disaster recovery preparedness and expertise that you’ll need.
And finally…
You know your company better than anyone and will be aware of what it needs to function effectively. Outsourcing your IT disaster recovery to CARA allows a neutral third party to dispassionately undertake an audit of your current IT disaster recovery plans, your data management and your staff’s training needs. We will then be able to create a comprehensive plan for your company going forward and keep dynamically assessing these plans to reflect changes in technology and IT security. It can bring some peace of mind and also allow you the time to focus on the future of your business.
