Traditional disaster recovery systems are reliant upon individuals backing-up data from a computer or network on a daily basis. This would normally be to tape (rather like an old fashioned cassette but able to store more information). Because back-ups are taken daily, it is possible to lose up to 48 hours worth of information and work. Coupled with the length of time it might take to rebuild and restore a network, this could lead to frustration by employees and customers.
Disaster recovery is needed for a number of reasons:
- If a company is unable to trade or continue to do business even for just a day the results can sometimes be potentially catastrophic.
- The inability to access vital information.
- The impact upon an organisations’ brand.
- The impact upon a company’s reputation.
- Loss of customers.
- Potential drop in share value of a publicly traded company.
- A company may need to comply with data retention laws and potential penalties for breach. Losing such information due to a disaster will not be an excuse for failing to comply.
- Cost of advertising to reassure customers of the longer term prospects of the company.
Key statistics
Some important statistics should be noted:
- 90% of businesses that lose data from a disaster are forced to shut down within two years of the disaster.
- 50% of businesses experiencing a computer outage will be forced to shut within five years.
(Source: London Chamber of Commerce)
- 20% of all companies will suffer fire, theft, flood or storm damage, power failures, terrorism or hardware/software disaster at some point during their operation. Of those without a business continuity plan:- 43% will never re-open,
– 80% fail within 13 months,
– 53% of claimants never recoup the losses incurred by a disaster.
(Source: Aveco)
- Less than 50% of all organisations have a business continuity plan in place.
- 43% of companies that do have a business continuity plan do not test it annually.
- 80% of companies have not developed any crisis management to provide sufficient IT coverage to keep the business functionally effectively.
- 40% of companies that have crisis management plans do not have a team dedicated to disaster recovery
(Source: London Chamber of Commerce)