Glossary · IT & systems
Disaster recovery
The plan for getting back up and running quickly after a major outage.
Disaster recovery is the plan for getting back up and running after a major outage. Think of a server that fails, a fire in the data centre or an attack that brings your systems down. The plan describes how to restore your work as quickly as possible when that happens.
Two questions are central. How long can it take before you are working again, and how much data can you afford to lose in the worst case? The answers determine how much you need to invest in standby systems and backups, because faster recovery costs more.
A plan on paper is only worth something if you test it. Rehearse the recovery before anything actually goes wrong, so you know it works and everyone knows their role. An untested plan gives a false sense of security.
