Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) is becoming increasingly popular as businesses are looking for ways to ensure they can continue operating in the event of a major disaster. However, DRaaS has security and compliance challenges that require consideration.
This article will look at eight critical security and compliance concerns that a company should consider when using DRaaS.
Table of Contents
Data Protection
One of the most critical Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) aspects is ensuring that data is protected, which means that a business needs a robust backup and recovery plan to execute in the event of a disaster.
A company should regularly test its backup and recovery plan to ensure that it will work as expected in a real-world scenario. Additionally, it should encrypt its data to help protect it from being accessed by unauthorized individuals.
Compliance
Another concern that a business needs to consider when using DRaaS is compliance. Several compliance regulations must be adhered to, depending on the company.
For example, if a company handles personal data, it must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Doing this includes ensuring that the data is encrypted and that the business has a plan for handling data in the event of a disaster.
Additionally, a company in the financial sector must comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) requirements. Doing this includes having a disaster recovery plan that meets the specific requirements of SOX.
Disaster Recovery Plan
The disaster recovery plan is one of the most important things to consider when using DRaaS. It would be best if a business designed this plan to keep it up and running during a major disaster.
A disaster recovery plan should include steps that focus on data backups, restoring systems, and communicating with employees. Additionally, a business should test its plan regularly to ensure it will work as expected in real-world scenarios.
Internet Connection
Another concern that a business needs to consider when using DRaaS is its internet connection. In a major disaster, the primary internet connection could be unavailable.
A business should have a backup internet connection to ensure its employees can still access data and systems. Additionally, the company should test its internet connection regularly to ensure it is working as expected.
Power
Another potential issue that a business should consider when using DRaaS is power. Businesses could lose electricity at any time during a disaster. When this happens, the DRaaS provider may be unable to keep your systems running.
While this scenario is unlikely, a business should still prepare for it by having a backup power source and a failover. Additionally, it should test its backup power regularly to ensure it is working as expected. A couple of ways to do this include:
- Using an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
- Generating power with a backup generator
Security
One of the most important things to consider when using DRaaS is security. A business must ensure that its data and systems are secure from external and internal threats.
External threats include hackers and malware. A business should plan to protect its data and systems from these threats. Additionally, a company should test its security regularly to ensure it is working as expected.
Internal threats include employees who may accidentally or intentionally delete data or damage systems. A business should consider having a policy that requires employees to use two-factor authentication when accessing data or systems to mitigate these risks.
Communication
Another important aspect of using DRaaS is communication. For example, in the event of a major disaster, a business needs to be able to communicate with its employees and customers.
A company should have a plan for communicating with its employees, including email, text messages, or phone calls. Additionally, a business should have a communication plan with its customers.
Testing
Finally, one of the most important things a company can do when using DRaaS is regularly testing its disaster recovery plan. Doing this will ensure its plan works as expected and that all preparations are in place for a major disaster.
There are many different ways to test a disaster recovery plan. One way is to use a tool like DRaaS Simulator. This tool allows a business to create simulated disasters to test the plan in a safe environment.
Another way to test your disaster recovery plan is to conduct a live test. Doing this involves shutting down systems and seeing if the business can successfully recover them. This test is more extreme but can give companies confidence that the plan will work in a real-world scenario.
Conclusion
There are many things to consider when using DRaaS. However, suppose a business takes the time to plan and prepare for these potential issues. In that case, they can confidently use DRaaS to ensure their data and systems remain protected in a major disaster.
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