DO I REALLY NEED A DRP?

A tried and tested DRP will cost money upfront and many a business will hesitate at the cost for a disaster which is unlikely in the first place. Ask yourself the question “Will my business survive with loss of mission critical applications, data and operations?”. The chances are that it will not and a few reasons are given below.

Equipment Failure

All equipment will have downtime, either planned or unplanned. This could lead to loss of critical data, especially if the downtime is unplanned. One way to mitigate this risk is to back-up or replicate data at regular intervals. Without the back-up you will lose data irretrievably and this will prove to be a costly mistake.

Human Error

Human error is a common cause of production stoppage. Staff may accidentally delete data while attempting to save it. Therefore, a well trained staff, with clear defined procedures on data safety is essential.

Natural Disasters

A natural disaster can strike anywhere at any time. Production can grind to a halt due to the total loss of the production center. To work around this problem, it is essential to have an alternate site with accessible backed-up data.

Round-the-clock Customer access

Most customers want to be able to access information at their convenience and not at yours. They need access 07/24/365. If a business is not able to provide this, the customer will simply shift his loyalties.

In addition to the above there are umpteen more disasters waiting to happen. To be prepared is to be forearmed. A well thought out DRP strategy will turn a potential disaster into a minor hiccup.

Yes, you need a DRP!