March 20, 2024
Why disaster recovery cannot be a grudge purchase
The sad truth is that cyber attacks and data breaches are almost unavoidable in today’s digitised business environment. However, disasters can take many forms, ranging from floods and fires to cyber attacks and system failures. The leading causes of downtime worldwide in 2023 were hardware and power supply issues, as well as cyber attacks.
Given this reality, it is critical that companies have a solid disaster recovery strategy in place. However, many businesses continue to view this as a "grudge purchase". Many companies in South Africa lack suitable disaster recovery strategies, despite the hazards associated with doing so.
Disaster recovery includes the strategies, systems and software needed to protect important data and customer information in the event of theft or a natural disaster. Businesses need this information to work effectively, so losing access to your data could lead to financial losses and even regulatory penalties.
What can happen if you ignore disaster recovery planning?
Businesses without a reliable disaster recovery plan face various risks in the event of a calamity, including financial losses, operational disruptions, and damage to their reputation. Without a clear plan in place, organisations may suffer severe financial consequences, such as lost sales, revenue, and interruptions in supply chains due to downtime. Therefore, companies must prioritise the development of a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy to mitigate these risks and ensure continuity of operations.
System outages can have an impact on the business's operational efficiency and productivity. This can lead to service level agreement (SLA) breaches, dissatisfied clients, and lower employee morale. Finally, a tragedy might have long-term reputational consequences, such as a loss of trust among clients, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
Why is disaster recovery important?
Implementing reliable disaster recovery strategies and systems is critical for maintaining business continuity and minimising downtime. A reliable plan goes beyond merely backing up data. It ensures that operations can continue running despite any disruption, reducing the risk of financial losses and reputational damage.
Additionally, disaster recovery ensures that employees can continue working, thus reducing the likelihood of operational inefficiency. This reduces the financial impact of a loss of data and allows the company to continue moving forward, albeit at a slower pace. Working with a cyber security provider can enable companies to implement tried-and-tested disaster recovery systems.
SEACOM focuses on providing clients with dependable and customised disaster recovery solutions. Our knowledge and experience in cyber security and networking set us apart from other South African ICT service providers. We use specialised services, technologies, and techniques to create successful disaster recovery plans that are tailored to each client's individual requirements.
SEACOM guarantees that enterprises' data backup and protection strategies are dependable and meet their specific security, compliance, and performance needs. We work closely with clients to discover their operational needs, required reaction times, data storage needs and network architecture. In addition, SEACOM considers whether data should be preserved and secured or transmitted to another environment.
Best practices for disaster recovery
Creating a disaster recovery plan necessitates a well-structured methodology to ensure its effectiveness and longevity. Conducting a risk assessment is an important aspect of this procedure. This assists businesses in developing a stronger plan by identifying potential threats and system vulnerabilities.
Furthermore, regular testing is required to guarantee that the disaster recovery plan can efficiently handle real-world calamities. No matter how well-designed a strategy may be, it remains ineffective until it undergoes rigorous testing. Additionally, partnering with a reputable service provider, ensuring optimal performance of the data environment, and conducting routine maintenance are all critical factors to consider in maintaining the reliability of the disaster recovery plan.
Disaster recovery planning is crucial for business continuity, as failure to establish a competent strategy can lead to serious financial, operational, and reputational consequences. SEACOM recognises the vital role disaster recovery plays in mitigating business risks and collaborates with clients to deliver tailored and effective solutions.
If you want to guarantee your company's future and ensure ongoing business operations, contact SEACOM today for a consultation and learn how we can be your reliable disaster recovery partner. For more information about our network and cyber security services or to get a quote, email us at marketing@seacom.com or leave us a message.
SEACOM owns Africa’s most extensive network of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, including subsea cables and secure internet connections. We offer a diverse range of flexible, scalable and high-quality solutions for businesses that meet world-class standards for connectivity.
SEACOM is privately owned and operated, making it agile and adaptable to the needs of the customer. This makes us the preferred ICT and internet connectivity partner for African businesses and peripheral service providers. We can guarantee high-speed, low-latency and secure internet connections to corporates and small enterprises.
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