How cloud computing can assist in disaster recovery efforts

5th Oct 2016

If your business uses and / or relies on a computer network (and let's be honest, what business doesn't these days?) then you absolutely must have a plan for dealing with catastrophic loss of data. In fact, you shouldn't even think about it as a potential issue, more like an eventuality. This is another area where cloud computing is ahead of the curve.

Traditional data recovery and backup is extremely time-consuming and prone to errors. Because the integrity of data on these networks is dependant on the conditions of the network itself (operating system, applications, hardware / software settings, etc‚Ä¶) you have to make sure that the conditions are exactly the same as they were before catastrophic failure occurred. If they're not, there's absolutely no guarantee that your efforts will be successful.

Here are a few reasons why cloud computing is infinitely superior for disaster recovery efforts:

Entire system backups can be performed daily (preferably at night after all activity has ceased for the day).
Total time spent backing up is significantly reduced.
Because servers, operating systems, settings and even hardware is 'virtualized' in a cloud computing network, all information, software, 'hardware' and user settings can be stored off-site.
Time spent restoring a system after a catastrophic failure is but a fraction of the time normally required.
There will be few if any errors when the system is being restored and it should only take a few hours to complete vs. the days / weeks that are usually spent with a traditional network.
Data recovery and backups are much cheaper than they would be on a traditional network.

Cloud computing also offers businesses the option of becoming mobile. So if for example, your work site is damaged in some way that necessitates moving somewhere else (until repairs can be made) you can simply take your entire network with you. This is completely impossible with a traditional non-cloud based system. So if you have your own private cloud network and your offices are destroyed by some means or event, you could theoretically have your employees work right from home. This is the very meaning of the word flexibility.

Being able to backup an entire system on a daily basis is arguably the biggest benefit of switching to a cloud computing network. In a fraction of the amount of time it takes to back up a traditional system you can have a copy of everything on your entire system sent and stored in a secure location. And unlike the process involved in trying to do this with a standard network (which involves a lot of manual labor), backups can be rendered automatically.

In most cases of disaster utilizing a traditional system, there will be major expenses in the area of hardware (with some companies spending nearly double their budgets just to bring everything back up to speed). And there is also the issue of regulatory compliance. Most companies these days are required by law to integrate some form of archiving solution into their daily activities, so that data might be collected as evidence if the need arises. If a company is unable to comply with these types of regulations they may have heavy fines levied against them or be shut down entirely.

Cloud computing offers businesses the best options for network security; options that are free from the kinds of worries that induce nightmares in IT department personnel. A business' computer network is essentially its lifeline, if it fails or is compromised in any way there will most likely be huge profit losses. In some cases catastrophic network failure and / or loss of data could actually cripple a company (like in software development for example). Since cloud computing is logistically superior with regards to data recovery and / or disaster prevention it only follows logic that organizations should implement these types of systems as soon as possible. It is in truth, the most responsible and prudent thing to do (switching over to a cloud based system); because a network failure may be just around the corner.

We invite you to check out the Cloud Computing Certification Page for more learning opportunities around the management of Cloud Computing environments.