Disaster recovery

Definition

Disaster recovery is the process of restoring critical IT systems, applications, and data after a disruptive event such as a cyberattack, natural disaster, hardware failure, or human error. It is a key component of business continuity that ensures technology infrastructure can return to normal operations quickly.

Unlike business continuity planning, which covers the entire organization, disaster recovery focuses specifically on IT systems and digital assets. Its goal is to minimize downtime, reduce data loss, and maintain service availability for employees, customers, and stakeholders.

Advanced

Disaster recovery strategies include establishing Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) to define acceptable downtime and data loss. Technical methods may involve data replication, redundant systems, offsite backups, and cloud-based failover environments.

Advanced approaches include disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS), which leverages cloud infrastructure for automated recovery. Testing and simulation are essential to validate effectiveness, while governance frameworks such as ISO 27031 and NIST SP 800-34 guide planning and compliance. Security integration, monitoring, and orchestration are increasingly incorporated to address cyber threats.

Why it matters

• Reduces downtime and protects revenue streams.
• Ensures compliance with regulatory and contractual obligations.
• Protects sensitive data against loss or corruption.
• Maintains trust with customers, partners, and stakeholders.
• Strengthens organizational resilience during crises.

Use cases

• A bank restoring customer account systems after a ransomware attack.
• A hospital recovering electronic health records after a server crash.
• A university re-establishing online learning platforms following a network outage.
• A manufacturer resuming production after a regional power failure.

Metrics

• Recovery Time Objective (RTO).
• Recovery Point Objective (RPO).
• System uptime and service availability post-recovery.
• Number of successful recovery tests performed annually.
• Percentage of systems covered under recovery plans.

Issues

• Failure to test recovery processes can result in unexpected downtime.
• Outdated plans may not reflect current systems or risks.
• High costs for backup infrastructure and redundancy.
• Cybersecurity threats that target backups or recovery processes.

Example

A financial services provider implemented a cloud-based disaster recovery system with automated failover. When its primary data center experienced a major outage, operations were switched to a backup environment within minutes. This minimized downtime, ensured compliance, and maintained customer confidence.