If your business lost important data tomorrow, how quickly could you recover? More importantly, would you recover at all?
Many businesses believe they’re protected simply because they have a backup somewhere. But having a copy of your data isn’t the same as having a plan to bounce back if something goes wrong. That’s where the difference between data backup and disaster recovery becomes critical.
Let’s break it down.
What is Data Backup?
A data backup is a copy of your files, emails, or systems stored in a separate location. It’s like a safety net in case the original is lost or damaged.
You can back up to:
- External drives
- On-premise servers
- Cloud storage (read article: In the Clouds or On the Ground?)
Backups protect against things like accidental deletion, hardware failure, or ransomware. But while they’re important, backups are just the starting point.
What is Disaster Recovery?
Disaster Recovery is a broader strategy focused on how your business restores operations after a major disruption – not just getting your files back, but also your systems, access, and workflows.
A disaster recovery plan includes:
- Where your systems will run if your infrastructure is down
- How quickly your team can get back to work
- Automatic failover systems
- Recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO)
In short: backups keep your data safe; disaster recovery gets your business back on its feet.
Why Both Matter
Backups without disaster recovery are like having spare tyres with no jack or tools – you technically have a solution, but you’re not equipped to use it quickly or effectively.
Real-world threats like ransomware, fire, power outages, or system crashes can take your entire business offline. Without a recovery plan, getting back up could take days or longer.
With disaster recovery, your team knows exactly what to do, your systems can be restored automatically, and downtime is minimised.
How Insight IT Can Help
At Insight IT, we offer managed backup and disaster recovery solutions designed to protect your business, not just your data.
Our approach includes:
- Automated, encrypted cloud backups
- Regular testing to ensure backups actually work
- Fast system recovery with minimal downtime
- Customised disaster recovery plans based on your business needs
Whether you’re running a small team or a growing company, we’ll help you build resilience into your IT so when the unexpected happens, you’re ready.
Talk to us – 1300 911 000
Or send us an email.
