Disaster recovery planning and management
Planning is the number one tool a business has at its disposal to prevent a crisis. Cyber attacks and natural disasters can be unavoidable and unpredictable. If DR teams plan for the worst, they can avoid being caught off guard. Get helpful disaster recovery advice, templates and tests that will prepare your organization for almost anything.
Top Stories
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Tip
29 Oct 2024
When to use a mirrored site disaster recovery
Mirrored disaster recovery sites are a good fit for businesses that require rapid failover and have the right resources to build a duplicate data center. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Oct 2024
CrowdStrike outage explained: What caused it and what’s next
A CrowdStrike update caused a massive IT outage, crashing millions of Windows systems. Critical services and business operations were disrupted, revealing tech reliance risks. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Aug 2020
Terms to aid your pandemic recovery planning process
When updating your organization's pandemic plan, it can help to have these terms handy. These tools, processes and standards are key to a solid recovery plan. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Aug 2020
ISO and FFIEC business continuity standards compared
Global standards aid the process of creating and updating a business continuity plan. The requirements of two popular standards can ensure that your BC team doesn't miss any steps. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jul 2020
Steps to building a pandemic business continuity plan
Your business continuity plan may address some concerns that come along with a pandemic, but COVID-19 has emphasized the importance of having remote work as part of it. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Jul 2020
Small business pandemic plan should cover supply chain, staff
COVID-19 has many organizations shifting gears when it comes to pandemic planning, and SMBs are no exception. For small companies, adaptability is the key to recovery. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jul 2020
Use disaster recovery standards to guide pandemic planning
International quality management and compliance standards can help an organization kick off a disaster recovery plan for unprecedented scenarios, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Jun 2020
Ransomware resilience starts before cyberattacks hit
Ransomware is still common, especially in the coronavirus age, so you need to be ready. Explore ransomware recovery tips from an IT manager who dealt firsthand with an attack. Continue Reading
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News
26 May 2020
2nd Watch launches cloud-based disaster recovery service
COVID-19 is accelerating interest in disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS), and 2nd Watch says it can facilitate the process and reduce cost using AWS. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 May 2020
Business continuity challenges emerge as work from home ends
As governments consider reopening, organizations must address how it affects business continuity planning, such as accounting for WFH employees returning to offices and the potential for outages. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 May 2020
DRaaS guide: Benefits, challenges, providers and market trends
Disaster recovery once involved setting up an off-site facility and duplicating expensive storage gear. Today, DRaaS offers an alternative to traditional approaches. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 May 2020
How to understand DRaaS pricing and budgeting
Learn how to get the most value out of your disaster-recovery-as-a-service investment by conducting a thorough business impact analysis and following a few simple steps. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 May 2020
DRaaS market faces multiple challenges in 2020
Difficult times are creating a strong DRaaS market, yet providers must still deal with many critical issues over the next several months, such as supporting growing customer base. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 May 2020
8 DRaaS risks to identify and remediate
Before signing with a specific DRaaS provider, get information on how the vendor handles data protection and recovery and restoration, among other things. Continue Reading
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Answer
01 May 2020
12 steps for a successful DRaaS implementation
Thinking of activating disaster recovery as a service? As you start this important process, consider these best practices that will help protect your organization. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Apr 2020
Iland vs. Recovery Point: Compare these DRaaS providers
Iland and Recovery Point Systems are two leading providers of managed DRaaS. Learn how each vendor's services compare and how they differentiate themselves. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Apr 2020
Remote business continuity techniques to implement now
Managing business continuity and disaster recovery without employees on site can be a challenge for an organization that doesn't typically function remotely. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Apr 2020
5 steps to create a coronavirus crisis management response plan
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench into many traditional BCDR plans. Here are five tips to update your crisis response plans and help your business weather the storm. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Apr 2020
Complete crisis management guide and free template
This guide to crisis management and free template can help your business respond to an unplanned emergency, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Apr 2020
5 tips for building a crisis communication plan
A crisis communication plan is a set of steps and procedures that outlines how a company should communicate with its employees, stakeholders and the public during an emergency. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Apr 2020
12 key elements of a crisis management plan
Starting or revising your crisis management planning? Include these elements in a plan to make sure you don't leave anything out and your organization can run effectively. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Apr 2020
Roles and responsibilities of a crisis management team
The formation of a crisis management team that includes members with diverse skills can help organizations respond quickly and decisively to a crisis. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Mar 2020
Don't cut corners with disaster recovery and backup
A well-thought-out BCDR plan is just half of the resilience equation. A solid data protection strategy relies on thorough backup and disaster recovery planning. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Mar 2020
What to look for in DR orchestration
Disaster recovery orchestration is a must-have in the modern data center. However, that doesn't mean choosing the right tools for your organization is an easy process. Continue Reading
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News
25 Mar 2020
Everbridge Critical Event Management tailored for COVID-19
The coronavirus requires a massive response. Emergency communications and crisis management specialist Everbridge seeks to provide critical information for employee protection. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Mar 2020
The future of DR orchestration goes beyond recovery
What's next for disaster recovery orchestration? As tools grow and change, orchestration may soon go beyond disaster recovery, as well as aid in planning. Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Mar 2020
pandemic plan
A pandemic plan is a documented strategy for business continuity in the event of a widespread outbreak of a dangerous infectious disease. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Mar 2020
Using a pandemic recovery plan template: A free download and guide
Outbreaks like the latest coronavirus can spread fast. Download our free pandemic planning template and read our step-by-step guide on pandemic planning for businesses. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Mar 2020
Tips for updating your corporate pandemic response plan
To ensure your workplace pandemic response plan is up-to-date and sufficient, check it against other business continuity procedures, and consult important sources for further guidance. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Feb 2020
Disaster recovery regulations complicate data compliance
Many organizations struggle when it comes to compliance with recent data regulations. Modern disaster recovery adds an extra layer of difficulty for meeting these requirements. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Feb 2020
Ensure your DR strategy meets the challenges of a new decade
Traditional disasters and new cyberthreats have organizations reexamining their DR plans to ensure they maintain high levels of availability and can restore operations quickly. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Feb 2020
Preparing an annual schedule of business continuity activities
Many activities comprise a business continuity plan, and the better you manage them, the more successful your overall business continuity program will be. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Feb 2020
Free service-level agreement template for DR plans
Download our free SLA template to help you get started planning the performance and response time requirements associated with disaster recovery activities. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Feb 2020
Use this disaster recovery plan checklist to improve your plan
Our comprehensive disaster recovery plan audit checklist can help you thoroughly evaluate your organization's DR plan to find and address potential weaknesses. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jan 2020
Obtaining professional business continuity certifications
Professional resilience certifications recognize those working in business continuity and disaster recovery, and the education that comes with them is a valuable resource. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jan 2020
Survey: Many businesses neglecting disaster recovery testing
Even though DR testing is a low-cost way to ensure readiness, businesses don't do it enough. Roadblocks include limited time, stretched IT teams and basic human nature. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jan 2020
Updating your old business continuance plan for the new year
Has your business continuity plan kept up with data center changes of the past year? If not, it may be time to revisit your plan's capabilities and existing recovery objectives. Continue Reading
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Definition
30 Jan 2020
business continuity plan audit
A business continuity plan audit is a formalized method for evaluating how business continuity processes are being managed. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jan 2020
4 approaches to creating a business continuity and DR strategy
Learn which approaches an organization can take -- including using a single provider, a managed partnership or DIY -- when implementing their business continuity and disaster recovery strategy. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jan 2020
Need a BC/DR plan? MSPs provide one source of expertise
Smaller businesses may lack in-house expertise for developing a BC/DR strategy, but managed service providers may be able to lend a hand with the planning task. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jan 2020
Business continuity services, DR planning key to recovery success
Although all-in-one options for business continuity and disaster recovery planning are lacking, organizations can create a system using the various services and tools examined here. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Jan 2020
Tips for outsourcing business resilience services
Outsourcing IT resilience is more feasible than ever, thanks to a rise in cloud-based options. If you plan on outsourcing resilience to a third party, be sure to do your homework. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Dec 2019
Top 5 disaster recovery and planning questions asked in 2019
What were your top DR planning questions in 2019? While the cloud seems top of mind every year, newer trends like blockchain and orchestration also made the list. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Dec 2019
What will disaster recovery strategy look like in 2020?
Disaster recovery planning is an ever-evolving process, and organizations should be aware of new threats and tools. Ensure that your strategy isn't behind the times in 2020. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Dec 2019
Business impact analysis checklist: 10 improvements to your BIA strategy
A business impact analysis is a critical part of disaster recovery planning. Avoid potential disruptions and smooth out the planning process with this BIA checklist. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Nov 2019
What is the role of HCI in a disaster recovery architecture?
Is hyper-convergence a good fit for disaster recovery? More organizations appear to believe so and are increasingly using hyper-converged infrastructure in backup and DR. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Nov 2019
How do a business impact analysis and risk assessment differ?
When it comes to disaster recovery strategy, business impact analyses and risk assessments both play key roles. Make sure you include them in your DR planning. Continue Reading
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Guide
18 Nov 2019
Why you should have a disaster recovery testing plan in place
Regular testing of a disaster recovery plan is one of the only ways to ensure a plan is working, up to date and well-tailored to an organization's needs. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Oct 2019
Recovering from ransomware soars to the top of DR concerns
Ransomware recovery may not have always been a featured topic in TechTarget's 20 years of coverage, but it's certainly made an impression in the last few. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Oct 2019
Tips for obtaining BC/DR plan and resilience funding
Creating a comprehensive business continuity and disaster recovery plan is no joke, and funding those services can add another hurdle to your company's IT resilience strategy. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Sep 2019
What are the benefits of outsourcing risk mitigation and management?
Rather than handling risk management and mitigation within your organization, outsourcing these important processes to a third party comes with substantial benefits. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Sep 2019
How can your IT resilience plan incorporate big data analytics?
Big data analytics can help businesses spot past mistakes, forecast conditions and improve future strategies. So, why should resilience planning be any different? Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Sep 2019
Disaster recovery and backup: To converge or not to converge?
While it makes sense to some degree to have overlap between backup and disaster recovery systems, there may be even more sense behind keeping them discrete. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Sep 2019
Cybersecurity and business continuity integration boosts resilience
Are you doing all you can to make your organization resilient? You might be hampering your company's efforts by keeping business continuity and cybersecurity planning separate. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Aug 2019
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. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Aug 2019
Sample business continuity plan template for small businesses
Our step-by-step business continuity plan for small businesses enables an organization to restore mission-critical operations during an unforeseen event. Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2019
New Everbridge CEO talks education, NC4 acquisition
Every company needs to be ready to respond in the event of a crisis. Everbridge's new CEO details why that's important and what a proper platform entails. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Aug 2019
How does a data archiving strategy benefit DR and backup?
In order to be truly resilient, your organization needs more than just a backup and disaster recovery plan. Integrating archiving into your strategy offers some serious benefits. Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Aug 2019
Hypervisor vendors upset virtual disaster recovery market
Zerto and Veeam have conquered the DR market, but hypervisor vendors such as VMware and Nutanix have emerged, offering services that look to lower costs and provide better performance. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jul 2019
Fortify your business resilience with consequence management
Is there something lacking in your incident response strategy? Consequence management could be the missing piece in your organization's IT resilience plan. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Jul 2019
What is a business resilience plan and why do you need one?
Just like business continuity has become indispensable, having an IT resilience plan in place is crucial to keeping your business up and running today. Continue Reading
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Answer
17 Jun 2019
Is VMware SRM disaster recovery a good fit for your DR plan?
VMware Site Recovery Manager brings a number of benefits to the disaster recovery process. One of the lesser known roles of SRM is as a planning tool. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Jun 2019
A good business disaster recovery plan considers IT, staffing
Not sure if your disaster recovery plan takes business needs into account? A good plan should cover business operations, as well as technology and staffing requirements. Continue Reading
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Answer
05 Jun 2019
Can you use blockchain for disaster recovery purposes?
Disaster recovery may not be the most prominent use case for blockchain technology, but the idea of using it for data protection and recovery is beginning to gain traction. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 May 2019
Ransomware attack recovery pointers for when you've been hit
Ransomware recovery is a complex and expensive process, and an attack can happen to anyone. Taking precautions and acting early could save your data -- and a good amount of money. Continue Reading
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Answer
23 May 2019
How do slow data transfer speeds affect VM disaster recovery?
When failing over VMs to the cloud or a remote data center, slow data transfer speeds can spell disaster. Don't let failed replications and partial failovers upset your DR plan. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 May 2019
Successful disaster recovery approaches set priorities
By taking a tiered approach, similar to cybersecurity, disaster recovery planners can structure their recovery to cut downtime and protect high-priority data. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Apr 2019
Words to go: Disaster recovery planning checklist
Working on a disaster recovery plan? Don't forget to include these vital tests, exercises, plans and assessments when preparing for a disruptive event. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Apr 2019
What are the benefits of disaster recovery orchestration?
A disaster recovery plan that uses orchestration can simplify the process of failing VMs over to the cloud. Unfortunately, there are some caveats to take into account. Continue Reading
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News
29 Apr 2019
New factors driving disaster recovery adoption
Threats from cyberattacks and climate change have replaced natural disasters as the main drivers behind companies adopting disaster recovery and make no geographic zone safe. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Apr 2019
How to plan for the worst possible disaster recovery scenarios
Your worst-case DR scenario today might be vastly different than it was just a few years ago. What's the worst that could happen to your data center in the event of a disaster? Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2019
Assurance business continuity software gauges emergency preparedness
Assurance Software's new analytics and dashboard feature allows companies to monitor the health and readiness of their business continuity programs and pinpoint areas of weakness. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Apr 2019
How to use AI for business continuity and disaster recovery planning
Are you incorporating AI into your BC/DR planning? If not, there are multiple opportunities to include AI in the planning process, both before and after a disaster occurs. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 Apr 2019
How has ransomware recovery changed in recent years?
The threat of ransomware has evolved over the past few years, causing many organizations to re-examine how they plan to recover data in the event of an attack. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Mar 2019
How to evaluate DRaaS providers
DR-as-a-service providers need to be vetted properly to ensure that the services you have purchased are deliverable and meet expectations during a disaster. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Mar 2019
Conduct a business impact analysis with these tips and tools
A business impact analysis is a fairly standard part of disaster recovery planning, but nuances within your organization may affect your approach to conducting and using a BIA. Continue Reading
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Guide
26 Mar 2019
The modern disaster recovery market explained
New approaches to disaster recovery planning, cloud DR and virtualized DR have grown in popularity as cybersecurity threats have arisen and shaped the market. Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2019
Everbridge Crisis Management unifies communication, response
Everbridge has launched an application that provides organizations the ability to manage a critical event throughout its lifecycle through a dynamic dashboard. Continue Reading
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Answer
15 Mar 2019
Can your disaster recovery strategy keep up?
Disaster recovery requirements are constantly changing, and a DR plan must do the same. Frequent testing and clear communication can go a long way toward keeping a plan up to date. Continue Reading
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Answer
08 Mar 2019
What are the pros and cons of on-premises disaster recovery?
While cloud DR is gaining popularity, it may not be the right choice for every organization. On-premises DR often comes with more predictable pricing and lower latency. Continue Reading
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Quiz
27 Feb 2019
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. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Feb 2019
Secure disaster recovery will be a priority in 2019
Along with weather events and IT outages, data security has become a major concern in DR. With cyberattacks on the rise, strategists are placing higher importance on resilience. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Feb 2019
What to do if an internal notification system fails
Having an emergency notification system in place can help maintain contact with staff during a crisis, but make sure that your company has a plan in place in case it malfunctions. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Feb 2019
How to determine your disaster recovery objectives
Ideal recovery objectives are different for every business. Luckily, there are four basic steps you can follow to ensure you set the right RTO and RPO. Continue Reading
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Guide
15 Feb 2019
Disaster recovery strategy guidelines: Preparation and response
A disaster recovery and response plan should be unique to each organization, but there are universal best practices that can facilitate rapid and comprehensive incident response. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jan 2019
How to ensure a secure disaster recovery operation
As if recovering from a disaster isn't pressing enough, organizations also need to be mindful of potential security breaches when they are most vulnerable. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jan 2019
4 key qualities in a disaster recovery team consultant
An experienced and reliable disaster recovery consultant can offer significant benefits to a DR team. When choosing a DR consultant, it helps to be picky. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jan 2019
Assurance, ClearView merge business continuity services
U.S.-based Assurance Software's merger with U.K.-based ClearView extends the business continuity providers' international reach, helping customers who do business globally. Continue Reading
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News
02 Jan 2019
AsTech uses Flexential data center for backup and DRaaS
When remote automotive diagnostics provider AsTech grew too big for its on-premises data center, it turned to colocation with Flexential for backup and disaster recovery. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Dec 2018
Disaster recovery plans, continuity take center stage in 2018
Were you worried about your DR plan in 2018? You're far from alone. Preparation for ransomware and natural disaster threats loomed over the heads of DR planners in the past year. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Dec 2018
Focus more on disaster recovery strategy in 2019
Evolving disaster recovery technologies have eased some of the common DR burdens over the past year, but strategic areas such as funding and security could use some more attention. Continue Reading
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Guide
31 Dec 2018
Essential guide to business continuity and disaster recovery plans
Not confident in your BC/DR plans? You're not alone. Nearly every organization struggles with comprehensive BC/DR planning that covers all potential threats and setbacks. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Dec 2018
Disaster recovery trends and technologies to watch
Major disaster recovery developments have changed the market yet again, and it's time to get ready for a new year in DR technology, before you end up lagging behind. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Dec 2018
Disaster recovery planning tools: Predictive analytics for DR
Today, predictive analytics and AI are fully realized disaster recovery tools. In the unpredictable world of DR, predictive analytics is a particularly powerful technology. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Dec 2018
3 common disaster recovery challenges from 2018
The past year was a big one for disaster recovery teams, for better or for worse. Major challenges included the prevalence of ransomware, GDPR compliance and the cloud. Continue Reading
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Answer
11 Dec 2018
How does VMware Admission Control work?
Get to know VMware vSphere's Admission Control tool and use it to reserve the resources necessary for VM failover with cluster resource calculations and slot policy. Continue Reading
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Answer
10 Dec 2018
How does vSphere HA application monitoring work?
Use heartbeats, VM monitoring and application monitoring to fully examine the causes of VM unresponsiveness. Adjust sensitivity levels to focus on the level of detail you need. Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Dec 2018
Ensure VM high availability with vSphere DRS and HA
Combine Distributed Resource Scheduler and vSphere High Availability to design balanced failover clusters. Pay attention to affinity rules, which can further support availability. Continue Reading
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Answer
05 Dec 2018
How does vSphere high availability affect VM restart order?
If you encounter a VM failure, you can use vSphere HA to automatically detect and restart VMs. Before you restart the VMs, you'll also need to meet resource and host criteria. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Nov 2018
What's the difference between a hot site and cold site for DR?
The hot site vs. cold site debate requires users to understand how each DR site works and the resources needed. While one is more budget-friendly, downtime can be a deciding factor. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Nov 2018
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. Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2018
Everbridge mass notification sparkles for Tiffany
Tiffany & Co. uses the freshly updated Everbridge Critical Event Management Platform in a number of ways. It recently had to put the mass notification capability to swift use. Continue Reading