Did you know that disaster recovery comes with short-term and long-term problems? Read on to find out the difference--and how to make sure your IT security plan is prepared for both.
The Difference
Let's face it: IT security is no one's idea of a walk in the park. It's a huge project that lasts a lifetime; it's costly, stressful, constantly changing--and, of course, the stakes couldn't be higher.
As if IT security needed to be any more complicated, there's one more thing that most companies fail to consider: tech disasters often have both short-term and long-term effects. Here's a quick look at the difference!
Short-term problems
Short-term effects of a tech disaster are immediate and fast-acting and might include:
- data loss
- data corruption
- workflow breakdowns
- computer or mobile device failure
- employee panic
Long-term problems
Long-term effects build up over time and tend to have more severe consequences. They could include:
- loss of potential customers
- reduced customer retention
- impacted professional reputation
- legal fees
What You Can Do
The good news is that there is a solution. Disaster recovery plans can be designed to help you navigate both the short-term and long-term impacts of a tech emergency. The key is to take IT security one day at a time, creating backup plans and fail-safes that will address every element of a potential disaster.
To protect against short- and long-term problems, your disaster recovery plan might include:
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Communication trees
Communication trees help your employees know whom to contact and in what order. While this helps negate the knee-jerk panic reaction during an emergency, it also helps improve long-term customer retention. It protects your reputation by proving your company keeps a cool head no matter what.
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Data backups
Data backups can keep you working even in case of loss or corruption. Still, they're also great for the long-term effects of a breach or other disaster (for example, not knowing for sure what you lost or whether you ended up rescuing the latest version of a specific file).
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Scheduled practices
A disaster recovery plan is no good if you can't count on it. Scheduled practices help you prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.
Are you interested in creating a disaster recovery plan? Want to learn more IT security tips and tricks? Contact us today!
