When an IT crisis strikes, an expedient and thorough disaster recovery process can make or break the future wellbeing of your organization. That is the best reason for acquiring the services of a reliable network and Cloud-based DR provider in the first place.
But because DR takes on such crucial importance in case of emergency, the Cloud-based DR provider shouldn’t be considered just another supplier. You really ought to consider them to be a strategic partner, and the relationship should be managed as such.
A Process of Constant Review
You should schedule regular meetings so that both your organization and the Cloud-based service know what exactly is expected of each other on an ongoing basis. You should continuously review each other’s situations for any updates or changes to mutual contractual obligations, including evolving services, licensing, or billing.
Maintaining a close relationship with your Cloud-based DR provider will help you to become aware and perhaps take advantage of any new, supplemental or expanded DR services that may be needed during a crisis, such as recovering data from a specific point-in-time, or requesting extra work space at the recovery site.
Are You ‘All In?’
The nature and depth of your partnership with the Cloud-based service is fully dependent on your set of DR needs or potential needs, measured against the full set of services that the Cloud provider can deliver. Obviously, if the provider is only delivering unattended services, or DR for one or two of your less critical applications, then the relationship requires less attention and investment.
But if you are “all in” with your DR provider, your strategic partnership with them also means that you should regularly confirm and test their DR capabilities to ensure that their performance meets or beats their contracted service levels.
What’s Your Provider’s Own Disaster-Recovery Plan?
For example, we’ve seen an increase in weather-related events in North America in recent years, from flooding to ice storms to blizzards and worse. These are the severe events that knock out power grids or network access, creating the very kinds of IT disasters that Cloud-based DR providers were designed to serve.But some Cloud services have themselves been challenged by recent weather calamities. This has led some organizations to take a closer look at their network and Cloud-based DR providers to see how prone they themselves may be to suffering the elements.
For example, you may want to look at how your Cloud-based service handles its staffing. One of the big problems with natural disasters is that they sometimes prevent staff from getting to work, which could end up being just as disastrous as if the power went out. Part of your due diligence as a user of DR services is to be confident that this won’t happen to the people that have your back.
