So you’ve decided DRaaS, or Disaster Recovery as a Service, would be a good fit for your business. Now the fun part begins when you start the hunt for a reliable service provider. Just like anything else, not all services from different vendors are alike. Some may provide a service that is great for some companies, but not for yours and vice-versa. Here are a few important questions you need to ask vendors before committing to and investing in their service.
What Is the Recovery Time?
Some vendors may advertise a ridiculously fast recovery time, but that should prompt a question within itself. There are two types of recovery times: minimum business continuity objectives, or MBCO, and return to service. With MBCO, the vendor guarantees you can perform minimal functions, as opposed to being completely shut down. With return to service recovery, you will be back up and running at 100 percent and will be able to perform all duties of the job. When you’re asking about recovery times, be sure to confirm whether they are talking about MBCO or return to service.
What Type of Tests Are Performed and How Often?
Most vendors that develop a disaster recovery plan with you will implement many tests over a period of time. These tests will ensure the reliability of recovery time and make sure all of your important data is fully restored. Ask the vendor how often they will run tests and whether they will send you the results after each test. You shouldn’t have to run a test every day, but it should be done frequently enough to give you the peace of mind knowing your information is safe every night when leave the office.
What About Data Replication?
You have to decide whether performing frequent data replications is worth the time and money. Data replications can be performed as frequently as every 15 minutes or so. This ensures you will have virtually no data loss, but it can also delay the recovery time in some cases. A full recovery can take around four hours or more, so you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of having a quicker recovery or losing as little data as possible.
If you have more questions about DRaaS or what to ask when shopping for the service, contact us and we would be happy to assist you!
