5 Key Strategies for Small Business Disaster Recovery

In July 2024, a routine security update triggered one of the largest global IT outages, leaving 8.5 million devices unable to boot. Surprisingly, the cause was not a cyberattack, but a simple update gone wrong. 

As devastating as the incident was, it clearly uncovered the need for a functioning Disaster Recovery plan. It was well documented how some businesses were back up and running quickly, while others took more than a week to get their operations back to “normal.” 

Smaller Organizations Need Disaster Recovery Plans Too 

For smaller organizations, disaster recovery can seem daunting, but having a solid plan is crucial to keeping your business running when the unexpected strikes. Here are key considerations when preparing or reviewing your disaster recovery plan. 

1. Risk Assessment 

Start by identifying the most vulnerable aspects of your organization. Whether it’s a data center precariously located near an active runway or a warehouse in a tornado-prone area, understanding your unique risks is the first step in disaster recovery planning.  

Don’t just focus on physical disasters. What will you do if every single computer including servers won’t boot? Is it more likely that you will face risk from bad actors trying to steal data from your network? These are the risks your disaster recovery plan must address. 

2. Business Impact Analysis and Inventory 

Identifying and prioritizing business-critical systems is essential to ensure your organization can recover swiftly from any disaster. Start by conducting a comprehensive inventory of these critical systems, considering all aspects, including software dependencies, database connections, mapped drives, and network configurations. 

This detailed inventory helps you understand the components that make up your most vital systems. For organizations using ConfigMgr, tools like Endpoint Insights from Recast Software can streamline this process by providing a complete view of your devices and their configurations. This enables you to restore systems to their previous state efficiently, ensuring continuity and minimizing downtime. 

Prioritizing your critical systems forms the backbone of your disaster recovery plan, guiding your efforts in preparing for potential disruptions. 

3. Continuity Plan 

With your risk assessment and business impact analysis completed, it’s time to define your continuity strategies. These strategies should ensure the uninterrupted operation of critical systems through various forms of contingency planning.  

• Alternative Processes – Consider alternative workflows that allow employees to remain productive even when primary systems fail. For example, when airline systems failed, staff issued handwritten boarding passes to keep flights on schedule. Do you have an alternative process if your devices are unavailable? 
• Resource Allocation – Assess if your current resource allocation supports quick recovery. Determine if your infrastructure team needs to be on-site or if remote coordination suffices. Efficient resource allocation can significantly speed up your recovery process.  
• Recovery Procedures – Develop clear, step-by-step recovery procedures tailored to different disaster scenarios. Having these procedures in place ensures you’re not scrambling to create a plan when disaster strikes.

4. Identify Personnel Roles 

Clearly define the personnel responsible for recovery efforts, ensuring they are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities. Have a communication plan in place. If the primary team isn’t available, do you have secondary resources identified? Ensure everyone knows their tasks and how to communicate effectively. Also, have a backup team ready in case primary personnel are unavailable. 

5. Disaster Recovery Drills 

It’s great to have a plan, but what are your assurances that it will work? A disaster recovery plan is only as good as its execution. Regularly conduct drills to test your plan under real-world conditions. Ensure your failover systems, like secondary internet links or redundant servers, perform as expected. 

Planning is the first step in preparing for business continuity, but as the famous saying goes, ‘No plan survives first contact with the enemy.’ Running disaster recovery drills will reveal potential weaknesses in your plan, but the true test comes during an actual disaster. In a real disaster, stay adaptable and make informed decisions to keep your business operational. 

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Final Thoughts 

Disaster recovery planning is essential for safeguarding your business. By following these key strategies, you can better prepare for the unexpected and ensure your operations remain resilient in the face of adversity.