Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) is an outsourcing model that allows an organization’s servers to be backed up by a third-party using cloud-based infrastructure. This means that if disaster strikes, whether it’s natural or man-made, the company can instantly switch to this backup as soon as their main IT systems go offline.
What is a DRaaS Provider?
When disaster strikes, businesses can quickly grind to a halt. DRaaS providers aim to limit the impact of IT disasters, by getting companies back to work as quickly as possible.
Third-party DRaaS providers are cloud-based, and completely separate from a company’s main IT systems. This means that they can offer a wide range of protection to dampen the impact of major IT disasters. The providers offer a selection of services, which aim to prevent data loss, protect customers’ data and limit any downtime required.
Choosing a DRaaS Provider
Choosing a DRaaS provider is a key part of many disaster recovery plans. It’s a big decision, which should be based on a number of different factors.
Top DRaaS providers offer a good range of different disaster recovery services, with plenty of options for companies to choose from. Whether you’re running a small company and your main worry is unexpected downtime, or you’re heading up a much larger business where data protection is of paramount importance, you’ll be able to find a DRaaS provider to suit your needs. When searching for a provider, consider the following:
A tailored service for your needs
Great DRaaS providers can tailor their service to suit individual business requirements. There’s no one size fits all in this field, so talk to different providers about what they can offer. Discuss your critical operational needs and find out how providers could support your existing disaster recovery plans.
Office space
If office space is essential for your company, make sure your DRaaS provider can support this. Look to providers offering fully equipped office space for your staff and make sure that the facility comes complete with everything your teams will need to work productively.
Location
The location of your DRaaS provider is another important consideration. Providers will need to be a safe distance from any major threats that could be affecting your primary site. But the distance should still be close enough that your provider can get you back online quickly. Remember, every millisecond counts!
5 Facts You Should Know About DRaaS
With numerous misconceptions about Disaster Recovery as a Service floating around, we aim to set the record straight through our list of five facts you should know about DRaaS below.
#1. DRaaS Costs Are Highly Variable
Each DRaaS provider charges varying rates based on the level of service required. Microsoft Azure Cloud and Amazon Web Services, for example, carry higher annual fees than lesser-known services. Microsoft and Amazon offer DRaaS to large enterprises and require more technical knowledge – hence their increased costs. Some DRaaS providers charge additional retrieval fees in relation to the amount of data that needs recovering. The more data you need, the more you will pay.
#2. Each DRaaS Provider Offers Something Different
Despite each DRaaS provider delivering the same technology, there are some key distinctions amongst competitors. A combination of expertise, resources and a proven track record sets one provider apart from the next.
DRaaS providers who are recognized as industry experts typically make great options, as they’re more likely to have the best team of experts in the field. Such providers will have more resources to assist you over the entire process – from general maintenance to the execution of data recovery.
#3. DRaaS Dramatically Reduces The Cost Of Downtime
The real cost of downtime is somewhat immeasurable. Several variables extend from the initial loss of revenue to the effect on brand loyalty and reputation. That being so, DRaaS certainly reduces the overall cost of downtime since the duration of any such periods are significantly shorter.
Moreover, the rise in volatile weather events caused by climate change have leveraged the financial benefits of DRaaS even further. Whilst some argue that the upfront cost of DRaaS invalidates these benefits, the long-term cost of system downtime is much greater in comparison.
#4. DRaaS Improves The Efficiency Of Your IT Department
DRaaS will reduce your IT department’s workload and lessen overall operational complexity. It’s effectively handing over the task of data protection to a specialist third-party. This provides IT with more time to focus on other pressing issues, for example, troubleshooting technical issues within your company’s hardware.
#5. DRaaS Is The Most Reliable Disaster Recovery Method
Thanks to cloud-based technology your data is stored in multiple places, meaning it’s difficult to compromise. As a result, DRaaS is far more resilient against cyberattacks as there’s no single point of failure (e.g. single server storage). Additionally, the simplicity of DRaaS solutions causes fewer gaps for ransomware to exploit.
Comparatively, standard disaster recovery methods inadvertently provided cybercriminals with more opportunities to cash in. Good examples of this are on-site storage devices, and the operating systems, which those storage devices used.
Recap
As can be seen, DRaaS can yield numerous benefits for a variety of business types. By partnering with the right provider you can successfully reduce the cost of downtime, improve the operational efficiency of your IT department and rest assured that your organization has implemented the most reliable disaster recovery method available.
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