Editor's note
You've created a thorough, efficient and reliable disaster recovery plan that will protect your organization's data from potential disasters. You've taken all possible threats into account, from weather events to ransomware attacks. That means you're done, right? Not exactly.
Implementing a disaster recovery testing plan is critical to ensure that your recovery efforts work correctly and meet expectations. Disaster recovery testing will inform you if the plan isn't meeting recovery objective requirements, and enable you to make the necessary changes to get things back up and running quickly. A DR test can also point out vulnerabilities that must be addressed.
With the links below, gain a better understanding of why a disaster recovery testing plan is important, how to efficiently conduct tests, and some tools and terms that you will encounter along the way.
1Do I need to test my DR plan?
Short answer? Yes. For the longer answer, check out the links below. Chief among the benefits of testing is the ability to ensure your plan will work, but that's far from the only reason to run a test of your DR plan. When done properly, a disaster recovery testing plan can keep your recovery strategy updated and even prevent major outages in the future.
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Put your IT disaster recovery plan to the test
Operations teams need to make DR planning and preparation a priority every day of the year -- not just at test time. Here's how to keep apps and systems out of harm's way. Read Now
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Disaster recovery planning checklist: Put your team to the test
With all of the planning that disaster recovery takes, it's easy to overlook the basics. Ensure that your DR team isn't skipping over internal issues, like staffing and security. Read Now
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Disaster recovery testing: A vital part of the DR plan
Disaster recovery provision is worthless unless you test out your plans. In this two-part series, Computer Weekly looks at disaster recovery testing in virtualised datacentres Read Now
2Streamline the testing process
Now that you're settled in for testing, there are numerous best practices and tips for conducting the process in a way that works best for your organization. The links below offer advice for building a comprehensive disaster recovery testing plan or strengthening the one you have.
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10 steps for optimal IT disaster recovery plan design
Have you ensured your disaster recovery planning is comprehensive and able to be understood by everyone involved? Our guidelines will help set you on the right path. Read Now
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Test your ransomware recovery plan to safeguard data
Testing your restore process prior to an attack is a major part of surviving a ransomware infection. Reduce recovery time and ensure data is secure with planning and preparation. Read Now
3Tools that can help
Testing a DR plan doesn't have to be a chore, and it doesn't need to break the bank either. From disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) options to incorporating backup principles, there are technologies and tools available that can ease the process and make testing a breeze.
4Put these practices to use
There are so many potential recovery scenarios to prepare for that testing all of them can seem daunting. To simplify the process, download our free templates to see outlines for different testing and planning scenarios. Each template provides a thorough outline of what to do to prepare for a disaster, but can be customized to suit your organization..
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Free IT disaster recovery plan template and guide
A DR strategy is the cornerstone to ensuring infrastructure and applications continue to operate when a major outage hits. Our free DR template outlines the needed steps. Read Now
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Data center disaster recovery plan template and guide
Read our guide on data center DR planning, and then download our free template to assess how your data center facility and its infrastructure would perform during a disaster. Read Now