Online-first businesses are not excluded from natural disasters. In fact, with significant technological infrastructures, some issue is bound to occur. Disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) is becoming more and more popular for a good reason.
This can be a lifesaver in a natural disaster, fire, or another catastrophic event. DRaaS is the solution to keeping your business running when disaster strikes. It allows companies to prepare for the worst by providing a warm data center site that they can quickly move their operations to in the event of a disaster.
In this blog post, we will discuss what DRaaS is and how it can benefit your business. In addition, we will provide some tips on choosing a DRaaS provider and how they relate to service level agreements.
Read on to ensure you make the right choice regarding disaster recovery for your business.
What is DRaaS?
Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) is a cloud-based service that provides backup and disaster recovery for businesses. It is a subscription-based service that helps businesses to recover their data and applications in the event of an outage or disaster.
DRaaS is provided by third-party vendors with expertise in data backup and recovery.
These providers offer their services on a pay-as-you-go basis, which makes it affordable for businesses of all sizes. In addition, DRaaS providers offer various features and customization options to meet the specific needs of each company.
Furthermore, DRaaS is a scalable solution that can grow with your business. As your company expands, you can increase the number of users and data to be protected.
How Does DRaaS Work?
DRaaS works by replicating your data and applications to a secondary site. This site is located in a different geographical location from your primary site. In an outage or disaster, you can fail over to the DR site and continue operations.
Your DR provider will manage and monitor the DR site for you. They will also perform regular testing to ensure that it is working correctly. In a disaster, they will help you to fail over to the DR site and get your business up and running again quickly.
In greater depth, DRaaS works by taking snapshots of your data and applications at regular intervals. These snapshots are then stored in the cloud. In an outage, you can restore your data and applications from these snapshots.
This is a quick and easy way to get your business up and running after an outage. It is also more affordable than maintaining a secondary site yourself.
The Extensive Benefits of Disaster Recovery as a Service & Service Level Agreements
There are many benefits of DRaaS, which is why it is becoming increasingly popular. These benefits include:
Reduced downtime: In an outage, you can quickly fail over to the DR site and continue operations. This reduces downtime and keeps your business running.
Improved productivity: By reducing downtime, employees can be more productive. They do not need to wait for systems to come back online after an outage.
Cost savings: DRaaS is a pay-as-you-go service that is more affordable than maintaining a secondary site.
Peace of mind: Knowing that your data and applications are protected in the event of an outage or disaster can give you peace of mind.
These are just some of the benefits of DRaaS. It is a comprehensive solution that can help your business to keep running in the event of an outage or disaster.
How to Vet And Choose A DRaaS Provider
Now that you know the benefits of DRaaS, it is time to choose a provider. Here are some tips on how to vet and choose a DRaaS provider:
Make sure they offer a pay-as-you-go service: This will help to keep costs down for service level agreements.
Check that they have experience in data backup and recovery: You want to make sure that your provider knows what they are doing.
Ask about their features and customization options: Each business has different needs. You want to make sure that the provider can meet your specific needs.
Inquire about their customer service: In an emergency, you want to be able to reach customer service quickly. They should be available 24/ Seven.
Get a demo. This will give you a good idea of how the service works and if it is a good fit for your business.
Besides the criteria mentioned above, here is a 5 step process for you to follow when choosing a DRaaS provider.
Step One: Assess Your Business’s Needs
The first step is to assess your business’s needs. You must determine what you want to protect and how much data you have. This will help you to choose the right provider and plan for your company’s future needs.
You need to be clear with what your business needs are, as this will help in finding the best provider for you.
Step Two: Research Different Providers
Once you know what you need, you can start researching different providers. Look at their websites and read online reviews. This will help you to narrow down your options.
Furthermore, you can ask for recommendations from friends or colleagues. They may have used a DRaaS provider in the past and can give you their insights.
Step Three: Compare Prices
After you have narrowed down your options, it is time to compare prices. Make sure to get quotes from each provider to compare apples to apples.
Besides that, you should also ask about hidden fees. Some providers charge for setup, support, and storage. Others have a pay-as-you-go model that is more affordable in the long run.
Step Four: Ask for a Demo
Asking for a demo is a great way to see if a provider is a good fit for your business. This will give you a good idea of how the service works and if it meets your needs.
In addition, be sure to ask about customization options and customer service. You want to make sure that the provider can meet your specific needs and that you will be able to reach customer service in an emergency.
Step Five: Choose the Right Provider
After your research, it is time to choose the right provider. Make sure to select a provider that offers pay-as-you-go pricing, has experience in data backup and recovery, and provides excellent customer service.
With the right provider, you can rest assured knowing that your data and applications are protected in an outage or disaster.
Is DRaaS Expensive?
One of the common misconceptions about DRaaS is that it is expensive. However, this is not always the case.
Yes, there are some providers that charge a premium for their service. But there are also providers that offer pay-as-you-go pricing, which can be more affordable in the long run.
It all depends on your business’s needs and budget. But with a little research, you can find a DRaaS provider that fits your needs and budget.
Common Mistakes Made By Businesses In Terms of Disaster Recovery
Now that you know how to choose a DRaaS provider, it is time to avoid making common mistakes. Here are some mistakes businesses make in terms of disaster recovery:
Not having a plan: The first step is to create a plan. You must determine what you want to protect and how you will recover your data.
Not testing your plan: Once you have a plan, you must try it to ensure it works. This will help to avoid any surprises in the event of an actual disaster.
Relying on one backup: You should have multiple backups in different locations. This will help to ensure that you can recover your data even if one backup fails.
Not having a budget: Disaster recovery can be expensive. Make sure to set aside a budget for your DRaaS solution.
Not monitoring your backups: You should regularly monitor them to ensure they are working correctly. This will help to avoid any data loss in the event of a disaster.
Disaster recovery is an essential part of any business. Following the steps above, you can choose the right DRaaS provider for your needs. And by avoiding common mistakes, you can ensure that your data is protected during an outage or disaster.
DRaaS Awaits You
Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) is a comprehensive solution that can help businesses to keep running in the event of an outage or disaster.
It is essential to choose a DRaaS provider with service level agreements and experience in data backup and recovery, offers pay-as-you-go pricing, and provides excellent customer service.
With the right provider, you can rest assured knowing that your data and applications are protected. If you’re interested in experimenting with DRaaS and see if it’s a good fit, get in touch with us.
