Do you ever ask yourself if your business could survive a data disaster? Wondering if you have a proper business continuity and disaster recovery plan is a legitimate response to the growing threats that could devastate your business. And when you consider that 60% of small businesses fold after a disaster like a cyberattack — it’s easy to see why it’s on your mind.

Disasters are on the rise. And at this point, it’s not a matter of if your company will face a potential catastrophic event. It’s when.

Catastrophic events can come in many forms, including hardware and software failures, cybersecurity breaches and forces of nature. These disasters create downtime, which causes your company to lose money. According to Gartner, IT downtime costs a business an average of $5,600 per minute. Disasters can also cause your business reputation to plummet, which is a better fate than having to close your doors altogether — see above stat.

When the time comes and your business is experiencing a data disaster, will you be ready?

To be prepared for the worst, businesses need to have a solid backup and disaster recovery plan in place. Here’s what you need to know regarding backup and disaster recovery, what catastrophes are out there and how to be prepared when the time comes.

What Is Backup and Disaster Recovery and Why Do You Need It?

Backup and disaster recovery are two separate things. Each serves different functions to help keep your company running following a crisis. Backup is the act of copying your data. With multiple copies of your data available, you’ll be able to access vital information in case of accidental deletion, server problems or data corruption.

A disaster recovery plan is a process that gets your IT, network and data up and running after an incident as soon as possible. Unfortunately, Forbes reports that one in three businesses is unprepared for a disaster because they don’t have an adequate or updated plan. Of those companies that don’t have a plan, 90 percent fail following a disaster, according to FEMA.

4 Types of Disaster That Can Affect Your Business

Your backup and disaster recovery plans need to cover a variety of scenarios because a data crisis can appear in many forms. Here are some of the most common causes:

  1. Human Error — According to Chief Executive, humans cause roughly 90 percent of cybersecurity issues. An employee deletes critical data files or code on the back end of the website. An intern opens a suspicious email attachment containing a virus from an unknown address. These mishaps are avoidable, but when they happen, they can be costly.
  2. Data Breaches and Cyberattacks — As companies continue to do more work online, it creates more opportunities for data breaches and other cyberattacks. Hackers can use ransomware to block access to computers or data in exchange for money, use spyware to copy data off your hard drive, and steal passwords and credit card numbers using phishing techniques.
  3. Hardware and Software Failures — How reliable are your servers? Hardware failure is the #1 cause of data loss, according to Dynamic Technologies. If there are no data backups or redundancies in place, a down server can bring your business to a halt.
  4. Natural Disasters — Fires in California, flooding in the Midwest and hurricanes along the Southeast have devastated local businesses in recent years. On a smaller scale, lightning can strike your office and set the building on fire. Will your data be safe if the servers get destroyed?

How We Can Help

If you run a small to medium-sized business and realize your company is not ready for a data crisis, let Sentry IT Solutions help. We create customized business continuity and disaster recovery plans in Orlando that fit your needs. With services such as onsite and offsite backups, cloud storage and enhanced security, your company will be back up and running in minutes after an incident, instead of days.

Contact us today to get your business prepared.