Backup is about protecting data. Disaster recovery is about restoring operations. Both matter, but businesses often buy tools without defining recovery goals.
RPO (Recovery Point Objective) is how much data you can afford to lose. RTO (Recovery Time Objective) is how long you can afford to be offline.
If your team can tolerate a few hours of downtime, your solution can be simpler and cheaper. If you can't, you need faster restores, redundancy, and regular testing.
The biggest mistake is not testing restores. A backup that can't be restored quickly isn't a backup; it's a false sense of security.
Key takeaways
- Define RPO (acceptable data loss) and RTO (acceptable downtime) before choosing tools.
- Backups protect data; disaster recovery restores operations.
- Testing restores is the difference between a plan and a false sense of security.
- Align your recovery plan with your budget and real business impact.
Recommended services
View all services
Backup and Disaster Recovery
Automated backups and thoroughly tested recovery plans that keep your data safe and your team productive.
Cloud Solutions
Strategic cloud adoption and optimization that reduces costs while improving scalability, reliability, and team productivity.
Managed IT Services
Continuous monitoring and proactive maintenance that prevents problems before they impact your operations.
Sources and References
- Business Continuity Planning Suite(Ready.gov (FEMA))
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