Disaster recovery planning - management
The planning phase is crucial to the success of any disaster recovery (DR) initiative. This topic section provides administrators with up-to-date news and how-to information about the personnel, staffing, training and documentation needs related to DR. In addition, this section discusses the best practices for mitigating risks, analyzing potential business impacts, personnel issues, documentation, change control and performing RTO and RPO assessments.
Top Stories
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Tip
31 Jan 2022
Decode the 4 phases of emergency management
The four-phase framework to emergency management can help organizations plan for all types of emergencies. Here's more about each phase and the steps to take within each. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jan 2022
Critical event management software simplifies disaster recovery
Critical event management software can help reduce the chaos of disaster response, without overloading disaster recovery teams with data or complicating communications. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Feb 2020
The best enterprise storage systems and products of 2019
Get to know the top storage systems, products and services selected from a field of nearly 100 in the 'Storage' magazine and SearchStorage annual Products of the Year awards. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Feb 2020
Use this disaster recovery plan checklist to improve your plan
Our comprehensive disaster recovery plan audit checklist can help you thoroughly evaluate your organization's DR plan to find and address potential weaknesses. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jan 2020
Obtaining professional business continuity certifications
Professional resilience certifications recognize those working in business continuity and disaster recovery, and the education that comes with them is a valuable resource. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jan 2020
Updating your old business continuance plan for the new year
Has your business continuity plan kept up with data center changes of the past year? If not, it may be time to revisit your plan's capabilities and existing recovery objectives. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jan 2020
4 approaches to creating a business continuity and DR strategy
Learn which approaches an organization can take -- including using a single provider, a managed partnership or DIY -- when implementing their business continuity and disaster recovery strategy. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jan 2020
Need a BC/DR plan? MSPs provide one source of expertise
Smaller businesses may lack in-house expertise for developing a BC/DR strategy, but managed service providers may be able to lend a hand with the planning task. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jan 2020
Business continuity services, DR planning key to recovery success
Although all-in-one options for business continuity and disaster recovery planning are lacking, organizations can create a system using the various services and tools examined here. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Jan 2020
How to build and train organizational resilience teams
Well-trained resilience and emergency response teams are a key element of maintaining business continuity and recovering your organization when disaster strikes. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Jan 2020
Enterprise data storage 2019 Products of the Year finalists
The field of entrants in our 18th annual Products of the Year contest has been winnowed to 50 contenders vying for gold, silver and bronze glory in five data storage categories. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Dec 2019
Top 5 disaster recovery and planning questions asked in 2019
What were your top DR planning questions in 2019? While the cloud seems top of mind every year, newer trends like blockchain and orchestration also made the list. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Dec 2019
What will disaster recovery strategy look like in 2020?
Disaster recovery planning is an ever-evolving process, and organizations should be aware of new threats and tools. Ensure that your strategy isn't behind the times in 2020. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Dec 2019
How to navigate a ransomware recovery process
If you find your systems locked up from a ransomware attack, what should you prioritize? Before you start your recovery, follow this plan to avoid additional trouble. Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Dec 2019
2020 data backup trends aim for faster, cheaper
These impending data backup trends will provide better peace of mind for the reliability of recovery and help your organization use backups more efficiently. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Dec 2019
Create an effective data backup strategy from scratch
You can't reliably protect your organization's valuable data without having a solid data backup plan in place. Here's what to include when you start building your strategy. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Nov 2019
What is the role of HCI in a disaster recovery architecture?
Is hyper-convergence a good fit for disaster recovery? More organizations appear to believe so and are increasingly using hyper-converged infrastructure in backup and DR. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Nov 2019
How do a business impact analysis and risk assessment differ?
When it comes to disaster recovery strategy, business impact analyses and risk assessments both play key roles. Make sure you include them in your DR planning. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Nov 2019
Tips for ransomware protection on Windows systems
No one product can prevent every ransomware attack, but there are several defensive practices Windows administrators can take to stop an encryption infection from ruining their day. Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2019
Zerto plays big role in McKesson's disaster recovery plan
McKesson Corporation's disaster recovery plan is deeply detailed and relies on Zerto's technology across its many globally distributed business units. Continue Reading
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Guide
18 Nov 2019
Why you should have a disaster recovery testing plan in place
Regular testing of a disaster recovery plan is one of the only ways to ensure a plan is working, up to date and well-tailored to an organization's needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Nov 2019
Post-disaster recovery, don't overlook user connectivity
After you've successfully recovered your environment, the job isn't quite over. Ensuring user connectivity following a recovery is the final vital step of a complete DR plan. Continue Reading
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Guide
05 Nov 2019
Understand VMware disaster recovery from start to finish
To craft a good DR plan for your VMware environment, prepare for possible issues ahead of time. Devise a strategy with your knowledge of disaster recovery best practices and tools. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Oct 2019
Recovering from ransomware soars to the top of DR concerns
Ransomware recovery may not have always been a featured topic in TechTarget's 20 years of coverage, but it's certainly made an impression in the last few. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Oct 2019
Data replication technologies: What they are and how to use them
Data replication can play a big role in a disaster recovery plan, so make sure you're familiar with the different types of replication and where they work best. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Oct 2019
What are the roles and responsibilities of a liaison officer?
While liaison officer responsibilities vary depending on the company they work for, their strong organizational and communications skills make them critical to incident response. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Oct 2019
Top 10 backup tips for your natural disaster recovery plan checklist
Your natural disaster recovery plan checklist needs the right data backup procedures. Here are 10 guidelines that can help save your data in the event of a disaster. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Oct 2019
Tips for obtaining BC/DR plan and resilience funding
Creating a comprehensive business continuity and disaster recovery plan is no joke, and funding those services can add another hurdle to your company's IT resilience strategy. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Oct 2019
How to determine if your data backup strategy has the right resources
The volume of different data backup resources available can be overwhelming. Learn how to quantify what is appropriate for your organization's backup strategy. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Sep 2019
What are the benefits of outsourcing risk mitigation and management?
Rather than handling risk management and mitigation within your organization, outsourcing these important processes to a third party comes with substantial benefits. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Sep 2019
How can your IT resilience plan incorporate big data analytics?
Big data analytics can help businesses spot past mistakes, forecast conditions and improve future strategies. So, why should resilience planning be any different? Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Sep 2019
Disaster recovery and backup: To converge or not to converge?
While it makes sense to some degree to have overlap between backup and disaster recovery systems, there may be even more sense behind keeping them discrete. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Sep 2019
Cybersecurity and business continuity integration boosts resilience
Are you doing all you can to make your organization resilient? You might be hampering your company's efforts by keeping business continuity and cybersecurity planning separate. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Aug 2019
Maintain CMDB data integrity for automated disaster recovery
For successful disaster recovery, IT admins must keep CMDB data precise. Learn best practices to promote data accuracy for an automated failover and DR plan. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Aug 2019
Free IT disaster recovery plan template and guide
A DR strategy is the cornerstone to ensuring infrastructure and applications continue to operate when a major outage hits. Our free DR template outlines the needed steps. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Aug 2019
How does a data archiving strategy benefit DR and backup?
In order to be truly resilient, your organization needs more than just a backup and disaster recovery plan. Integrating archiving into your strategy offers some serious benefits. Continue Reading
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Guide
31 Jul 2019
A data protection and backup podcast primer: Tips, trends, products
Backup and recovery are important areas of focus. Take the time to peruse our collection of podcasts that detail key segments of the market and the big risks to your data. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jul 2019
Fortify your business resilience with consequence management
Is there something lacking in your incident response strategy? Consequence management could be the missing piece in your organization's IT resilience plan. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jul 2019
Underscore preparation in your natural disaster recovery plan
When it comes to recovering after a natural disaster, you'll need more than just basic business continuity and recovery planning. Being informed about severe weather events is key. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Jul 2019
Avoid chaos with an IT crisis management playbook
A minor IT issue can quickly snowball into a major catastrophe without a carefully constructed crisis management plan, but just what details should an organization include? Continue Reading
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Podcast
10 Jul 2019
Best backup and recovery tools cover cyber, all-in-one
While backup and recovery products are important, organizations should be looking to go steps further to stay safe in the face of cyberthreats. A Unitrends GM provides details. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Jul 2019
What is a business resilience plan and why do you need one?
Just like business continuity has become indispensable, having an IT resilience plan in place is crucial to keeping your business up and running today. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jun 2019
Disaster recovery for small businesses leaves no room for excuses
Are you putting off investing in disaster recovery efforts for your small business? If your reasons include a lack of urgency and funds, we have some news for you. Continue Reading
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Answer
17 Jun 2019
Is VMware SRM disaster recovery a good fit for your DR plan?
VMware Site Recovery Manager brings a number of benefits to the disaster recovery process. One of the lesser known roles of SRM is as a planning tool. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Jun 2019
3 types of DRaaS: Which approach is best?
Your disaster recovery-as-a-service strategy needs to consider not only business needs but your IT staff's capabilities. Options range from full-on help to do-it-yourself DRaaS. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Jun 2019
A good business disaster recovery plan considers IT, staffing
Not sure if your disaster recovery plan takes business needs into account? A good plan should cover business operations, as well as technology and staffing requirements. Continue Reading
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Answer
13 Jun 2019
Essential hyper-converged backup, data protection questions to ask
Procure a hyper-converged infrastructure, and you'll need to protect the data residing in that environment. Ask and answer these questions to determine the best HCI backup approach for your organization. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2019
Veeam roadmap features cloud focus, possible IPO
Analysts noted more of a backup emphasis at VeeamON 2019, as Veeam plans to tackle the hybrid cloud market. Will acquisitions be part of the Veeam strategy? Continue Reading
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Answer
05 Jun 2019
Can you use blockchain for disaster recovery purposes?
Disaster recovery may not be the most prominent use case for blockchain technology, but the idea of using it for data protection and recovery is beginning to gain traction. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 May 2019
Ransomware attack recovery pointers for when you've been hit
Ransomware recovery is a complex and expensive process, and an attack can happen to anyone. Taking precautions and acting early could save your data -- and a good amount of money. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 May 2019
Using the cloud for disaster recovery? You'll need these key terms
If you're planning on implementing a cloud-based disaster recovery plan, be sure to familiarize yourself with core aspects of crafting a cloud DR plan and choosing a provider. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 May 2019
Natural disaster recovery planning: 4 frequently asked questions
When crafting a disaster recovery plan, don't rule out natural disasters as a major threat. Don't let a storm catch you off guard after making your recovery preparations. Continue Reading
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Answer
23 May 2019
How do slow data transfer speeds affect VM disaster recovery?
When failing over VMs to the cloud or a remote data center, slow data transfer speeds can spell disaster. Don't let failed replications and partial failovers upset your DR plan. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 May 2019
Ransomware protection tips include offline storage, user education
Ransomware resilience continues to be important because the problem isn't going away. Explore these backup and education tips to help stay out in front of the issue. Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2019
VeeamON 2019: Veeam enhances orchestrator, promises NAS support
Veeam has hit its long-term $1 billion revenue goal. The vendor updated its DR orchestration and now aims to finish off the awaited Availability Suite v10, with NAS backup. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 May 2019
Successful disaster recovery approaches set priorities
By taking a tiered approach, similar to cybersecurity, disaster recovery planners can structure their recovery to cut downtime and protect high-priority data. Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2019
Datrium DVX storage adds ControlShift cloud DR option
The Datrium cloud DR SaaS app, formerly known as Project CloudShift, is now called ControlShift and GA, but the first version only supports Datrium on premises and Cloud DVX hosts. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 May 2019
5 biggest data backup mistakes -- and how to avoid them
Don't let a backup blunder hurt your organization or career. Here are five common, yet potentially disastrous data backup mistakes you must avoid at all costs. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Apr 2019
Words to go: Disaster recovery planning checklist
Working on a disaster recovery plan? Don't forget to include these vital tests, exercises, plans and assessments when preparing for a disruptive event. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Apr 2019
What are the benefits of disaster recovery orchestration?
A disaster recovery plan that uses orchestration can simplify the process of failing VMs over to the cloud. Unfortunately, there are some caveats to take into account. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Apr 2019
How to plan for the worst possible disaster recovery scenarios
Your worst-case DR scenario today might be vastly different than it was just a few years ago. What's the worst that could happen to your data center in the event of a disaster? Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2019
Assurance business continuity software gauges emergency preparedness
Assurance Software's new analytics and dashboard feature allows companies to monitor the health and readiness of their business continuity programs and pinpoint areas of weakness. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Apr 2019
How to resolve 5 common VMware SRM error messages
You can use VMware Site Recovery Manager to protect your VMs and the apps that run on them. When SRM errors occur, follow these steps to easily resolve them. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Apr 2019
How to use AI for business continuity and disaster recovery planning
Are you incorporating AI into your BC/DR planning? If not, there are multiple opportunities to include AI in the planning process, both before and after a disaster occurs. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 Apr 2019
How has ransomware recovery changed in recent years?
The threat of ransomware has evolved over the past few years, causing many organizations to re-examine how they plan to recover data in the event of an attack. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Mar 2019
How to evaluate DRaaS providers
DR-as-a-service providers need to be vetted properly to ensure that the services you have purchased are deliverable and meet expectations during a disaster. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Mar 2019
Conduct a business impact analysis with these tips and tools
A business impact analysis is a fairly standard part of disaster recovery planning, but nuances within your organization may affect your approach to conducting and using a BIA. Continue Reading
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Guide
26 Mar 2019
The modern disaster recovery market explained
New approaches to disaster recovery planning, cloud DR and virtualized DR have grown in popularity as cybersecurity threats have arisen and shaped the market. Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2019
Everbridge Crisis Management unifies communication, response
Everbridge has launched an application that provides organizations the ability to manage a critical event throughout its lifecycle through a dynamic dashboard. Continue Reading
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Answer
15 Mar 2019
Can your disaster recovery strategy keep up?
Disaster recovery requirements are constantly changing, and a DR plan must do the same. Frequent testing and clear communication can go a long way toward keeping a plan up to date. Continue Reading
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Answer
08 Mar 2019
What are the pros and cons of on-premises disaster recovery?
While cloud DR is gaining popularity, it may not be the right choice for every organization. On-premises DR often comes with more predictable pricing and lower latency. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Mar 2019
Jon Toigo, data storage analyst and author remembered
Editors and colleagues pay tribute to the respected data storage analyst, pundit and author, who was a longtime Storage magazine columnist and TechTarget contributor and speaker. Continue Reading
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Quiz
27 Feb 2019
Disaster recovery planning checklist: Put your team to the test
With all of the planning that disaster recovery takes, it's easy to overlook the basics. Ensure that your DR team isn't skipping over internal issues, like staffing and security. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Feb 2019
Secure disaster recovery will be a priority in 2019
Along with weather events and IT outages, data security has become a major concern in DR. With cyberattacks on the rise, strategists are placing higher importance on resilience. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Feb 2019
What to do if an internal notification system fails
Having an emergency notification system in place can help maintain contact with staff during a crisis, but make sure that your company has a plan in place in case it malfunctions. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Feb 2019
How to determine your disaster recovery objectives
Ideal recovery objectives are different for every business. Luckily, there are four basic steps you can follow to ensure you set the right RTO and RPO. Continue Reading
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Guide
15 Feb 2019
Disaster recovery strategy guidelines: Preparation and response
A disaster recovery and response plan should be unique to each organization, but there are universal best practices that can facilitate rapid and comprehensive incident response. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jan 2019
How to ensure a secure disaster recovery operation
As if recovering from a disaster isn't pressing enough, organizations also need to be mindful of potential security breaches when they are most vulnerable. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jan 2019
4 key qualities in a disaster recovery team consultant
An experienced and reliable disaster recovery consultant can offer significant benefits to a DR team. When choosing a DR consultant, it helps to be picky. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jan 2019
Assurance, ClearView merge business continuity services
U.S.-based Assurance Software's merger with U.K.-based ClearView extends the business continuity providers' international reach, helping customers who do business globally. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jan 2019
BC/DR plan template: How to prepare for an active shooter event
A standard BC/DR template typically covers weather, equipment failures and fires. In recent years, more organizations are naming active shooting scenarios as a BC/DR concern. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Jan 2019
Implement cloud failover, replication for workload protection
Businesses increasingly use public cloud services as workload protection targets. But cloud failover and replication are hardly hands-off processes for IT teams. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Dec 2018
Disaster recovery plans, continuity take center stage in 2018
Were you worried about your DR plan in 2018? You're far from alone. Preparation for ransomware and natural disaster threats loomed over the heads of DR planners in the past year. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Dec 2018
Focus more on disaster recovery strategy in 2019
Evolving disaster recovery technologies have eased some of the common DR burdens over the past year, but strategic areas such as funding and security could use some more attention. Continue Reading
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Guide
31 Dec 2018
Essential guide to business continuity and disaster recovery plans
Not confident in your BC/DR plans? You're not alone. Nearly every organization struggles with comprehensive BC/DR planning that covers all potential threats and setbacks. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Dec 2018
Data backup security measures to take ahead of a hurricane
In this firsthand look, IT and storage expert Brien Posey details how he secured data backup and other important system elements as Hurricane Florence approached. Continue Reading
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Podcast
27 Dec 2018
Barracuda rep details natural disaster backup and recovery strategy
However remote the chance, any IT department should have a backup and recovery plan that takes natural disasters into account. Barracuda's Greg Arnette discusses best practices. Continue Reading
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News
26 Dec 2018
Acquisition boosts Rave mass notification capabilities
The SwiftReach acquisition not only enhances mass notification capabilities with a wider communication network, but nearly doubles Rave Mobile Safety's number of clients. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Dec 2018
Disaster recovery trends and technologies to watch
Major disaster recovery developments have changed the market yet again, and it's time to get ready for a new year in DR technology, before you end up lagging behind. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Dec 2018
Top 2018 tips for data backup plans include GDPR, Office 365
Without data backup planning, you won't have a strong recovery. As threats and data volumes continue to grow, it's important to keep up on the latest backup trends. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Dec 2018
Disaster recovery planning tools: Predictive analytics for DR
Today, predictive analytics and AI are fully realized disaster recovery tools. In the unpredictable world of DR, predictive analytics is a particularly powerful technology. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Dec 2018
3 common disaster recovery challenges from 2018
The past year was a big one for disaster recovery teams, for better or for worse. Major challenges included the prevalence of ransomware, GDPR compliance and the cloud. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Nov 2018
10 steps for optimal IT disaster recovery plan design
Have you ensured your disaster recovery planning is comprehensive and able to be understood by everyone involved? Our guidelines will help set you on the right path. Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2018
Virtual machine replication simplifies healthcare firm's DR
Because disaster recovery planning and testing were too complicated, a health provider turned to Zerto virtual replication to speed up the process without increasing costs. Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2018
Everbridge mass notification sparkles for Tiffany
Tiffany & Co. uses the freshly updated Everbridge Critical Event Management Platform in a number of ways. It recently had to put the mass notification capability to swift use. Continue Reading
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Infographic
05 Nov 2018
Successful IT resiliency strategy based on high availability and DR
Stringent yet realistic RTOs and RPOs are crucial to resiliency plans aiming to minimize interruptions to businesses operations should disaster or disruptions strike IT resources. Continue Reading
- E-Zine 05 Nov 2018
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Podcast
31 Oct 2018
IBM manager: Cyber-resilience strategy part of business continuity
Cyber resilience is increasingly a must for company executives. IBM's Andrea Sayles details the latest threats, as well as best practices for how to be prepared for attacks. Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Oct 2018
How to create an emergency phone tree and template
When disaster strikes an organization, employees must be alerted. Using a call tree in emergency situations is a time-tested way to effectively communicate events and next steps. Continue Reading
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News
09 Oct 2018
Arcserve cloud platform eyes comprehensive business continuity
The Business Continuity Cloud brings together the spectrum of Arcserve's technologies. Through the web-based user interface, users can perform most jobs in a few clicks. Continue Reading
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Answer
04 Oct 2018
What 5 skills should a disaster recovery team leader have?
Is the right person in charge of your disaster recovery planning? Look for a DR team leader who has the knowledge to run the show and the accessibility needed from a good manager. Continue Reading
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Quiz
02 Oct 2018
Test your business continuity best practices knowledge
When crafting a business continuity and disaster recovery plan, it's helpful to keep in mind some basic best practices. Don't find yourself caught off guard by getting complacent. Continue Reading
