Copyright TechTarget - All rights reserved https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Techtarget Feed Generator en Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:06:16 GMT https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery editor@techtarget.com <p>When it comes to ransomware, it might seem like giving in and paying the ransom is the quickest fix. Luckily for today's businesses, there is a better alternative to forking over money to cybercriminals who might not even give the data back.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/ransomware">Ransomware</a> is among the most common types of cyberattacks that can strike organizations of all sizes across nearly every industry. A ransomware attack could come via any number of different attack vectors, including phishing, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/social-engineering">social engineering</a>, or exploiting known or <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/zero-day-vulnerability">zero-day vulnerabilities</a>.</p> <p>In a ransomware attack, the perpetrator uses malware to encrypt a user's or organization's data. The attacker then holds that data for ransom, demanding that the victim pay a fee to receive the decryption key.</p> <p>All ransomware victims are faced with the same question: To pay or not to pay? Instead of considering payment, a better approach is to build up the organization's resilience early to avoid the need to pay a future ransomware demand. A strong business continuity and disaster recovery (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/Business-Continuity-and-Disaster-Recovery-BCDR">BCDR</a>) strategy builds the resilience that organizations need to avoid and mitigate ransomware attacks.</p> <p>This article will discuss ransomware trends and the costs associated with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Build-and-maintain-digital-resilience-for-a-stronger-DR-program">bolstering resilience</a> as an alternative to payment. It will also outline the pros of a strong resilience plan vs. the cons of paying the ransom.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Recent ransomware trends"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Recent ransomware trends</h2> <p>In recent years, ransomware has evolved to become a particularly impactful type of cyberattack. Available ransomware statistics show a few key trends:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/supply-chain-attack">Supply chain attacks</a>. Attackers target single points to affect multiple organizations.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/triple-extortion-ransomware">Triple extortion</a>. Beyond encryption, attackers now exfiltrate data and threaten public release for additional leverage.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/ransomware-as-a-service-RaaS">Ransomware as a service</a>. Prebuilt malware infrastructure enables less technical criminals to launch sophisticated attacks.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Generative-AI-is-making-phishing-attacks-more-dangerous">AI-enhanced phishing</a>. Generative AI is making phishing emails more convincing and harder to detect.</li> </ul> <p>Overall, the financial effects of ransomware are a growing concern. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/Ransomware-trends-statistics-and-facts">Average ransom payments surged</a> by 500% from $400,000 in 2023 to $2 million in 2024. U.S. ransomware attacks increased by 149% in early 2025, with 59% of organizations affected in 2024. Total ransom payments in 2024 reached $813.55 million globally.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/traditional_ransomware_attack-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/traditional_ransomware_attack-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/traditional_ransomware_attack-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/traditional_ransomware_attack-f.png 1280w" alt="Timeline of a traditional ransomware attack." height="185" width="560"> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Has a reluctance to invest in DR changed to a reluctance to pay attackers?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Has a reluctance to invest in DR changed to a reluctance to pay attackers?</h2> <p>There has long been a challenge faced by IT teams to secure management buy-in for disaster recovery investment. Limited financial support is a frequent problem for IT professionals in this area, since business continuity and disaster recovery planning doesn't necessarily have an immediate return on investment. In addition, BCDR preparation can be an expensive process.</p> <p>With the increasing costs associated with ransomware, however, there is a somewhat growing shift in perception and attitudes. BCDR planning can, in many cases, help mitigate or lower the risk of a ransomware incident by building up organizational and IT resilience. Doing a cost-benefit analysis could potentially show that increased BCDR investment is less costly than ransomware payments.</p> <p>Organizations are discovering that the cost equation strongly favors proactive investment over reactive payments. Despite <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Should-companies-pay-ransomware-and-is-it-illegal-to">advice to not pay the ransom</a>, 51% of organizations that suffered a ransomware attack paid the fee, according to Ponemon Institute's 2025 "Global Cost of Ransomware Study" <a target="_blank" href="https://www.illumio.com/blog/global-cost-of-ransomware-study-what-the-numbers-tell-us" rel="noopener">report</a>. But even more telling is the recovery reality: Only 13% of those organizations that paid the ransom recovered all their data.</p> <p>The shift in thinking reflects growing awareness that ransom payments represent a poor business decision. According to Chainalysis' "2024 Crypto Crime Report," ransomware victims are increasingly <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/news/366618711/Chainalysis-records-35-decrease-in-ransom-payments-in-2024">demonstrating greater resistance</a> to paying ransoms, widening the gap between demands and payments. This resistance is driven by mounting evidence that paying ransoms doesn't guarantee successful recovery -- and often invites repeat attacks.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rMVeLDk4r-I?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Cost breakdown: Ransomware recovery vs. BCDR planning"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Cost breakdown: Ransomware recovery vs. BCDR planning</h2> <p>Financial analysis reveals compelling evidence for prioritizing resilience over payments.</p> <p>The simple reality is that in any ransomware incident, even if the ransom is paid -- and even if the attackers return the data -- paying the ransom is only one part of the recovery cost. An analysis conducted by security vendor Check Point reported that the total cost of a ransomware incident could be as much as <a target="_blank" href="https://research.checkpoint.com/2022/behind-the-curtains-of-the-ransomware-economy-the-victims-and-the-cybercriminals/" rel="noopener">seven times more</a> than the actual dollar amount of the ransom.</p> <p>In addition to potentially paying a ransom, other costs that can be incurred because of a ransomware attack include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Operational <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Prepare-for-planned-and-unplanned-downtime">downtime</a>.</li> <li>Lost productivity.</li> <li>Investigation costs.</li> <li>Legal costs.</li> <li>Incident recovery.</li> </ul> <p>The true cost of a ransomware attack extends far beyond the ransom itself, which emphasizes the importance of resilience planning and investment. The cost of a ransomware incident is not typically something an organization will have as part of budget planning, and the effects of those costs can be significant. In contrast, BCDR can be a fixed and properly costed line item, coming in at approximately 1% to 3% of an <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/A-disaster-recovery-budget-template-A-free-download-and-guide">IT department's budget</a>.</p> <table class="main-article-table"> <thead> <tr> <td>Aspect</td> <td>Ransomware recovery</td> <td>DR planning</td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><strong>Average cost</strong></td> <td> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Not budgeted.</li> <li>Average ransomware payment is $2 million.</li> <li>Additional costs due to incident recovery and operational disruption.</li> </ul> </td> <td>1%-3% of IT budget.</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Downtime effects</strong></td> <td>Could potentially mean a loss of millions per hour for critical industries.</td> <td>Minimized through preparedness.</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Long-term costs</strong></td> <td>High; especially with multiple attacks.</td> <td>Lower; prevents future incidents.</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Guarantee of recovery?</strong></td> <td>No, only 8%-14% recover all data after paying.</td> <td>High likelihood, with tested backups and plans.</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p></p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Consequences of paying attackers"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Consequences of paying attackers</h2> <p>Paying the ransom demanded by a cyberattacker might seem like the right answer for an organization that just wants to pay and get its data back. But that's not necessarily the right choice, since paying ransomware demands carries significant risks that extend beyond immediate financial costs.</p> <h3>No recovery guarantee</h3> <p>Even if a ransom is paid, there's no assurance that attackers will restore encrypted data or delete stolen information.</p> <h3>Repeated targeting</h3> <p>Demonstrating a willingness to pay often makes an organization a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/news/252484720/Repeat-ransomware-attacks-Why-organizations-fall-victim">repeat ransomware target</a>.</p> <h3>Fueling criminal activity</h3> <p>Every ransom payment funds cybercriminal operations, enabling attackers to develop more sophisticated malware and continue targeting other victims.</p> <h3>Legal and regulatory risks</h3> <p>Some jurisdictions and industries don't allow ransomware payments to be made, and paying can lead to regulatory penalties.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Benefits of investing in resilience over making payments"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Benefits of investing in resilience over making payments</h2> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/answer/What-are-some-examples-of-organizational-resilience">Building organizational resilience</a> offers numerous advantages over making reactive ransom payments. And unlike paying a ransom, there are no real downsides to strengthening resilience efforts.</p> <h3>Predictable costs</h3> <p>Resilience planning involves known, budgeted expenses rather than unpredictable ransom demands.</p> <h3>Broader protection</h3> <p>A complete resilience strategy protects against multiple types of IT risks, not just ransomware.</p> <h3>Faster recovery</h3> <p>Organizations with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/answer/Can-ransomware-infect-backups-Tips-to-protect-data">proper backup</a> and recovery systems can typically restore operations more quickly.</p> <h3>Regulatory compliance</h3> <p>Many industries require that specific BCDR measures are in place to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Disaster-recovery-regulations-complicate-data-compliance">meet compliance needs</a>.</p> <h3>Employee confidence</h3> <p>Investing in resilience prepares organizations with well-defined and tested <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/How-to-conduct-incident-response-tabletop-exercises">incident response procedures</a>, reducing confusion when incidents occur.</p> <p><i>Sean Michael Kerner is an IT consultant, technology enthusiast and tinkerer. He has pulled Token Ring, configured NetWare and been known to compile his own Linux kernel. He consults with industry and media organizations on technology issues.</i></p> </section> No one wants to pay the ransom after a cyberattack, but many organizations feel like they have no choice. Explore the benefits of investing in resilience over making payments. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/ransom_g691204760.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Build-IT-resilience-to-avoid-paying-ransomware-demands Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:30:00 GMT <p>These days, it would be difficult to find medium or large organizations that do not have some sort of cloud service arrangement. But is <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/Enterprise-data-backup-challenges-and-how-to-overcome-them">cloud backup and recovery</a> the right choice for your data?</p> <p>Major public cloud service providers, such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google and IBM, offer many services to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/answer/What-are-some-public-cloud-backup-options-for-better-data-protection">address data backup</a>, application backup, disaster recovery (DR) and other useful protective services. Other, smaller cloud providers <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/Top-20-cloud-backup-services-for-2019">offer similar services</a> and a variety of pricing options.</p> <p>With choices like these and many more, the cloud is a compelling option for data backup and recovery. However, it might not be right for every situation. Before moving to the cloud for backup and DR, IT managers have several fundamental questions they need to answer.</p> <p>This article will address six common questions IT managers might have about cloud backup and recovery, from financial concerns to policies and procedures. Consider each question and contemplate your answers carefully to determine if the cloud is the right option for your organization's data backup and disaster recovery needs.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="1. Does a cloud-based service arrangement make sense operationally and financially?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>1. Does a cloud-based service arrangement make sense operationally and financially?</h2> <p>Experience has shown that -- when properly configured and with strong security in place -- cloud-based products for data storage, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/Cloud-backup-vs-local-traditional-backup-advantages-disadvantages">backup and recovery</a>, emergency system failover, and other requirements make good sense. Many organizations incorporate the cloud into operations relatively seamlessly, avoiding potential disruptions that can come with changing technologies.</p> <p>When it comes to finances, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/How-to-calculate-your-cloud-TCO">analyze the TCO</a> and ROI of different cloud backup and recovery platforms available to make sure that they fit into your organization's budget. The scalable nature of cloud and the variety of options on the market should enable organizations of all sizes to find a suitable cloud service.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lc-hY-uHgUU?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="2. What resources would we move to a cloud environment?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>2. What resources would we move to a cloud environment?</h2> <p>Deciding which data, systems, databases and other assets to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/Cloud-backup-vs-NAS-A-comparison-on-critical-factors">relocate to a cloud offering</a> should start with medium- to low-risk infrastructure and data elements. This approach gives you time to evaluate a provider's capabilities, technical support, security provisions, and emergency response and DR capabilities. Over time, consider moving other, more critical assets to the cloud platform, but not all at once.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="3. What happens to our legacy data storage and management arrangements?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>3. What happens to our legacy data storage and management arrangements?</h2> <p>Existing legacy storage assets, such as on-premises storage, SANs, NAS, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/RAID-vs-backup-Learn-the-differences-and-benefits-of-both">RAID</a> and other technologies, might still be financially and operationally viable. The organization might have already paid them off, for example. If those resources are still performing well, ask yourself what risks and exposures might occur if your on-premises storage technology is discontinued.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="4. Will this affect existing DR activities?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>4. Will this affect existing DR activities?</h2> <p>You might be able to offload most or all <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Disaster-recovery-plan-best-practices-for-any-business">DR activities</a> to your cloud vendor, especially if you have moved mission-critical systems and data to one or more cloud platforms. This could save you money by reducing the staff needed to maintain your DR plan on-site and avoiding the need for technology on-site to facilitate recovery activities. Any changes to a disaster recovery strategy might cause some disruption, so make sure to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/risk-assessment">assess the associated risks</a> of such a move.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5. What do we do with our policies and procedures for data storage and DR?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5. What do we do with our policies and procedures for data storage and DR?</h2> <p>Administrative activities, such as policies and procedures associated with backup and DR, should still be in place, especially for auditors. However, you can likely adjust them to accommodate cloud-based arrangements. Review your organization's data backup strategy and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/disaster-recovery-plan">disaster recovery plan</a> to determine which policies and procedures will need updates.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="6. Could we move our entire infrastructure onto one or more cloud platforms?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>6. Could we move our entire infrastructure onto one or more cloud platforms?</h2> <p>For some organizations, shifting specific processes or data might be the extent of the move to the cloud. If your organization wants to move all IT assets to the cloud, there are several factors to consider:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Upcoming company activities, <a target="_blank" href="https://gpmip.com/the-challenges-of-technology-transformation-in-mergers-acquisitions/" rel="noopener">such as</a> a merger or acquisition.</li> <li>Client requirements specifying that a minimum amount of technology must be on-premises.</li> <li>Regulatory mandates.</li> <li>Competitive and reputational issues associated with such a drastic change.</li> <li>Performance issues, such as whether restoration of technology is faster with a cloud backup and recovery product.</li> </ul> <p>Your business requirements will most likely dictate a total -- or partial -- move of your IT assets to a cloud platform. Also, you might want to use at least <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Multi-cloud-data-backup-Choices-and-challenges">two cloud vendors</a> so that you won't have to depend exclusively on a single service provider.</p> <p><i>Paul Kirvan, FBCI, CISA, is an independent consultant and technical writer with more than 35 years of experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, resilience, cybersecurity, GRC, telecom and technical writing.</i></p> </section> Still not sure if cloud data backup and recovery is the best choice for your organization? Here are six questions for IT managers to consider when making the move to cloud. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/digdeeper/6.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/How-do-I-know-if-cloud-backup-and-recovery-is-right-for-my-data Mon, 28 Jul 2025 10:00:00 GMT <p>IT assets and physical infrastructure are high priority for disaster recovery planning, which should address an all-important source of critical business data: payroll.</p> <p>Keeping employee payments consistent, accurate and on time is critical, especially in times of crisis. A disruption in payroll systems has the potential to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/How-to-manage-and-mitigate-reputational-risk">damage trust in the company</a>, cause operational delays, leak sensitive personnel data and violate compliance regulations.</p> <p>A payroll DR plan can help make sure that the payroll function is safe from unplanned disruptions. This article will outline what a payroll disaster recovery plan is, why it is necessary for business and how to build one. It also includes a payroll disaster recovery checklist to manage the process from start to finish.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Types of payroll systems"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Types of payroll systems</h2> <p>Payroll generally works in one of two ways: The company <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/tip/Is-payroll-part-of-HR-Learn-where-payroll-belongs">handles its own payroll</a> using specialized payroll software, or it uses one of the many third-party payroll service providers. Hybrid arrangements are also possible.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Data protection and security management are critical activities for organizations to ensure that payroll data is less vulnerable to cyberattacks. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>A payroll disaster recovery plan is essential if payroll is company-managed. The organization is responsible for capturing and processing all payroll-related data and storing it in secure databases for use by the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/payroll-software">payroll software</a>. In this situation, the organization faces the same risks, threats and vulnerabilities as with any other IT-managed systems and applications.</p> <p>Data protection and security management are critical activities for organizations to ensure that payroll data is less vulnerable to cyberattacks.</p> <p>By contrast, a payroll service company handles nearly all aspects of the payroll process. The customer provides relevant data to the service company, which then securely stores it for future payroll processing. Third-party organizations that handle this type of data often have sophisticated DR plans in place as well as vast storage resources that can maintain virtually unlimited payroll records in secure locations.</p> <p>Payroll service organizations also have extensive security infrastructures to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/feature/The-4-most-common-HR-data-security-issues">prevent unauthorized access</a> to payroll data from a large variety of malware attacks, such as phishing, DDoS and ransomware attacks. The biggest challenge in this type of arrangement is typically the loss of connectivity to the service provider, such as from the loss of internet access.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/hrsoftware-payroll_types.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/hrsoftware-payroll_types_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/hrsoftware-payroll_types_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/hrsoftware-payroll_types.png 1280w" alt="Chart describing payroll software types." height="325" width="520"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>There are several types of payroll software that organizations might use. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why a payroll DR plan is important"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why a payroll DR plan is important</h2> <p>Most organizations, regardless of size, have some level of payroll activity. If the organization manages its own payroll, IT departments must make sure that the systems and data are protected from the effects of natural disasters, cyberattacks, human error, and equipment outages or failures.</p> <p>Loss of payroll processing can be a serious event for an organization. Without payroll, employees will not be paid, state and federal taxes will not be processed, and benefits might be at risk.</p> <p>Payroll systems also provide various reports for accounting and finance departments. Some of these reports might be required by government agencies, and failure to deliver them on time can result in fines or other penalties.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Elements of a payroll disaster recovery plan"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Elements of a payroll disaster recovery plan</h2> <p>A payroll disaster recovery plan is essentially the same as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/disaster-recovery-plan">any other DR plan</a> managed by an IT department. However, the sensitive nature of payroll data adds another level of complexity to the process. A payroll DR plan should include the following components.</p> <h3>Statement of intent</h3> <p>This describes the nature of the plan and why it is being developed.</p> <h3>Company policy</h3> <p>Assuming the company has a policy on payroll, it should be included in the DR plan.</p> <h3>Overview and objectives</h3> <p>This section outlines what is to be accomplished in the plan.</p> <h3>Contact information</h3> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/Developing-an-emergency-communications-plan-A-template-for-business-continuity-planners">Contact information</a> for all DR plan team members, vendors, suppliers and other stakeholders should be included in a payroll DR plan. This ensures that the key players and interested parties can be contacted when a disruption occurs.</p> <h3>Roles and responsibilities</h3> <p>This section describes who is responsible for preparing and managing the DR plan. This might include technology teams responsible for managing the payroll application and databases, and emergency teams that handle the recovery and resumption of the payroll system and data after a disruption.</p> <h3>Emergency response procedures</h3> <p>These procedures specify what is performed when a disruption in the payroll system is identified. They can include specific diagnostics available in the payroll software to pinpoint the issue.</p> <h3>System recovery procedures</h3> <p>These steps are followed to recover the application and return it to normal operations. These procedures can be especially important if the payroll system and databases are running in a cloud infrastructure instead of an on-site installation.</p> <h3>Network recovery procedures</h3> <p>These procedures will vary depending on how the payroll system uses network technologies to operate. In cloud-based applications, network technology is essential when communicating with the payroll system.</p> <h3>Data backup procedures</h3> <p>Protection of payroll data is essential, and anytime the payroll database is changed, the changes should be backed up to a secure location.</p> <h3>Data recovery procedures</h3> <p>These steps should specify how to recover payroll data so that the payroll process can be resumed. To ensure that employees are paid, it might be necessary to launch a basic payroll run and make any adjustments in a subsequent payroll cycle.</p> <h3>Awareness and training activities</h3> <p>Employees who handle the payroll system must be <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Developing-a-disaster-recovery-and-business-continuity-training-program">trained on potential disruptions</a> and how to initiate emergency recovery procedures. It is also important to inform employees and senior management who are not directly involved that the payroll DR plan is in effect.</p> <h3>Plan testing and updating</h3> <p>Tests and updates are essential to make sure that employees can recover and restart the payroll system and perform ancillary tasks in advance of an actual event. If changes are necessary, implement them as soon as possible and make sure to test that they work.</p> <p>A payroll DR plan is a living document. Establish a schedule of periodic reviews and tests to make sure that the plan is current and fully actionable.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Steps to develop a payroll DR plan"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Steps to develop a payroll DR plan</h2> <p>When creating a disaster recovery plan for payroll, first determine if the payroll system is included in an overall corporate technology DR plan or if it is a standalone plan. In the former, the payroll system, database and network recovery activities should be a section in the main DR plan.</p> <p>In the latter, the standalone plan would include the same procedures for recovering the payroll system and databases, except that all the relevant activities are assembled into a unique plan.</p> <p>Steps to take when developing a payroll DR plan include the following:</p> <ol class="default-list"> <li>Secure management approval and funding to develop the plan.</li> <li>Establish a plan development team.</li> <li>Create a project plan to provide oversight to the process.</li> <li>Perform a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Conduct-a-business-impact-analysis-with-these-tips-and-tools">business impact analysis</a> to identify what could happen if payroll were not processed.</li> <li>Perform a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/Risk-assessments-in-disaster-recovery-planning-A-free-IT-risk-assessment-template-and-guide">risk assessment</a> to identify the risks, threats and vulnerabilities to the payroll system and its database.</li> <li>Develop strategies to facilitate payroll recovery and resumption in a disruptive event. These typically include payroll data backups, backup copies of payroll systems and network service resilience.</li> <li>Develop <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/incident-response">incident response</a> procedures that specify the initial steps to take when a payroll system interruption is detected.</li> <li>Develop recovery procedures to address the payroll system, databases used for payroll and network services. If the organization is using a cloud-based system, it must coordinate with the cloud vendor, which likely has its own disaster recovery process.</li> <li>Develop procedures to validate the successful recovery and resumption of payroll processing.</li> <li>Test the plan to validate that the payroll system and its database are recoverable.</li> <li>Review the plan with payroll application vendors, cloud vendors and other relevant parties.</li> <li>Set up a continuous improvement schedule of tests, reviews, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/business-continuity-plan-audit">audits</a> and other activities to ensure that the plan is up to date and actionable.</li> </ol> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Payroll disaster recovery checklist"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Payroll disaster recovery checklist</h2> <p>Once an organization has implemented a payroll disaster recovery plan, the time might eventually come to use it. When faced with a potential payroll system disruption, consider the following steps before, during and after an incident:</p> <h3>Before the incident</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/The-7-critical-backup-strategy-best-practices-to-keep-data-safe">Back up</a> payroll data.</li> <li>Ensure that the payroll system has a backup.</li> <li>Verify that network services can be recovered.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/How-often-should-you-review-a-business-continuity-plan">Periodically test and update</a> the payroll DR plan.</li> <li>Ensure that emergency teams are trained in system recovery.</li> </ul> <h3>During the incident</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Assess the extent of the disaster.</li> <li>Inform employees and senior management of the incident and the prospective recovery timeline.</li> <li>Determine what occurred to disrupt the payroll system.</li> <li>Ensure that payroll data was not adversely affected.</li> <li>Repair and recover the payroll system, internally or with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/tip/The-7-best-HR-software-and-tool-options-to-consider">third-party support</a>.</li> </ul> <h3>Post-incident activities</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Prepare an after-action report (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/After-action-report-template-and-guide-for-DR-planning">AAR</a>) stating what happened, how the issue was resolved, which plan activities worked and which ones did not.</li> <li>Update the payroll DR plan based on outcomes from the event and the AAR.</li> <li>Brief senior management and other stakeholders on the event.</li> <li>Return to the schedule of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/feature/Preparing-an-annual-schedule-of-business-continuity-activities">continuous improvement activities</a>.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="If using a payroll service company"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>If using a payroll service company</h2> <p>This article has focused mostly on customer-managed DR plans or cloud-based DR implementations. In situations where a reputable and experienced payroll service company is used, determine how it approaches disaster recovery. Pay particular attention to payroll data protection, payroll system recovery and network recovery.</p> <p>While DR might no longer seem to be an issue, assuming the payroll <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/l/best-payroll-services/" rel="noopener">company's expertise</a>, be sure to regularly check in with the vendor to verify that payroll processing is being performed successfully. It might be useful to have a service-level agreement that specifically addresses disaster recovery, or perhaps DR can be part of a larger and more inclusive SLA.</p> <p><i>Paul Kirvan, FBCI, CISA, is an independent consultant and technical writer with more than 35 years of experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, resilience, cybersecurity, GRC, telecom and technical writing.</i></p> </section> Payroll data is critical, and the consequences of losing it are steep. Learn how to create a strong payroll disaster recovery plan to protect employee data. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/check_g1255870711.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Why-you-need-a-payroll-disaster-recovery-plan Fri, 18 Jul 2025 10:00:00 GMT <p>Managing business continuity without employees on-site can be a challenge for an organization that doesn't typically function remotely. But the widespread shift to decentralized work models makes planning for remote work a necessity.</p> <p>Since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down offices throughout 2020, some workforces have <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchvirtualdesktop/feature/Future-of-remote-work-will-be-heavily-influenced-by-COVID-19">remained fully remote or hybrid</a>. Whether their staff is deployed in remote branch offices or home offices, organizations still have the responsibility to ensure business continuity for all employees.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/business-continuity">Business continuity</a> is essential to keeping operations running in the event of a disruption, such as a natural disaster, power outage, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/tip/Attackers-targeting-storage-infrastructure-for-remote-work">cyberattack</a> or network outage. While office buildings and data centers typically have strategies in place to mitigate these incidents, branch and home offices might not be as prepared.</p> <p>This article examines why organizations should have a business continuity plan in place for remote workers and what they'll need to do it. It will provide several strategies that can help implement a business continuity plan for remote workers.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Tech support for remote workers is critical"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Tech support for remote workers is critical</h2> <p>The challenge of remote working is to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/news/252479594/As-remote-work-tools-deploy-next-task-is-behavioral">balance technology with people management</a>. Remote access to corporate systems is facilitated using a number of tried-and-true technologies, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/Preparing-for-a-disaster-When-remote-employees-overload-your-VPN">such as VPNs</a>.</p> <p>For most organizations, technology is available to support remote work. Aside from managing remote workers to align their skills with the company's needs, the challenge for business continuity and disaster recovery planning is how the company recovers and returns to normal. Organizations must factor both corporate offices and remote workers into this planning.</p> <p>Fortunately, many data centers are designed to operate without human intervention or with remote access to system administration functions. Cloud-based vendors and managed service providers frequently deliver managed IT resources such as applications, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/Top-20-cloud-backup-services-for-2019">data backup</a> and other as-a-service offerings. This service model helps reduce the likelihood of outages as long as the MSPs can keep their systems operational and network connectivity is available.</p> <p>Organizations must <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Disaster-recovery-plan-best-practices-for-any-business">decide on their recovery priorities</a> in a disruptive event. For example, the focus should logically be on locations where the greatest number of employees and mission-critical systems operate. For organizations with remote workers, they must determine where those unique needs fall in terms of priority.</p> <p>Many organizations use remotely hosted applications. Employees, whether local or remote, can continue using those systems as long as vendors are able to keep operations working and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/How-to-maintain-network-continuity-in-a-DR-strategy">network connectivity is not compromised</a>. The real challenge for organizations that have mostly locally hosted systems and databases is to remotely manage those assets.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0STGMCqexW4?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Managing business continuity remotely"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Managing business continuity remotely</h2> <p>Technology issues aside, new approaches might be needed for managing remote workers. Effective business management techniques for off-site employees might include scheduling regular individual calls and team conference calls to assess employee performance and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/Remote-work-communication-challenges-and-how-to-fix-them">keep lines of communication active</a>.</p> <p>Internal teams and project managers must also be able to access conference bridges to manage their projects. These activities and resources are especially important for keeping remote workers connected and able to continue their work after a major disaster.</p> <p>Management dashboards, often built into today's business systems, help managers at all levels keep a real-time eye on their responsibilities and employees. Administrative teams need access to dashboards and other performance-related activities so that they can be prepared to coordinate different company activities.</p> <p>Whereas previously it was a simple matter of walking into someone's office or cubicle, now it can be necessary to schedule electronic meetings of all types and sizes, so universal access to individual calendars is essential. Video calls can also <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/Best-remote-networking-tips">enhance the human factor</a> among employees, managers and project teams.</p> <p>The aim of these types of remote business continuity techniques is to replicate how the business operated before the disruptive event occurred as closely as possible. This means understanding things from a process level. Data from a prior <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/feature/Using-a-business-impact-analysis-BIA-template-A-free-BIA-template-and-guide">business impact analysis</a> might be helpful. A BIA identifies key processes and lists the employees needed to manage them, the technologies needed, and any internal and external dependencies.</p> <p>While remote work is an important business continuity strategy, especially if the primary office or regional offices are unavailable, careful consideration must be made on how and where to deploy home office employees to a new work environment. Should they all be in an alternate location, or can they be dispersed across multiple work areas? How quickly can this migration take place, post-event? At what point in time is a return to the original office likely to happen? Or will an entirely new work arrangement be needed?</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to implement a continuity plan for remote workers"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to implement a continuity plan for remote workers</h2> <p>Assuming a business continuity plan currently exists, examine it to see how remote workers can be factored into the plan, if they are not already.</p> <p>Consider the following actions when addressing business continuity planning for remote workers:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Examine the current business continuity plan to see how remote workers can be factored into the plan's procedures or if a separate plan for remote working is needed.</li> <li>Perform a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/answer/How-do-a-business-impact-analysis-and-risk-assessment-differ">BIA and risk assessment</a> to determine issues associated with remote work.</li> <li>Analyze the financial implications of deploying remote workers.</li> <li>Examine the technology issues associated with remote workers, such as network bandwidth, VPN connectivity, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Remote-work-cybersecurity-12-risks-and-how-to-prevent-them">cyberattack protection</a> and remote hardware.</li> <li>Determine the administrative and people-related issues to be addressed with remote work. Be sure to work closely with HR on this.</li> <li>Determine the strategies available to the company if a major disruptive event occurs that makes it difficult for primary office employees to work.</li> <li>Establish remote work training for issues like remote access security procedures, accessing company systems and resources remotely, and performing <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/answer/How-often-should-you-back-up-your-data-Answers-vary">frequent data backups</a>.</li> <li>Administrative staff might also need training on how to interface with newly remote employees. This could include scheduling team meetings, performance reviews and other activities.</li> <li>Make sure that the help desk staff is trained and able to handle the potential increase in the number of remote worker inquiries and trouble reports.</li> <li>IT staff should be current on all technologies and security arrangements associated with remote workers.</li> <li>IT staff should periodically test the security on <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/Supporting-remote-workers-in-your-business-continuity-plan">remote networking and access</a> to company resources.</li> <li>The business continuity plan should be periodically tested and should address remote working if possible. If a separate business continuity plan for remote work is developed, manage, review and update that plan.</li> <li>Expand technology disaster recovery plans to address remote access and test the recoverability of the remote access infrastructure.</li> <li>Depending on the cause of the move to go remote, or to return to in-office operations, HR can be a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/pandemic-takes-a-toll-on-employees-emotional-well-being.aspx" rel="noopener">helpful resource</a> to keep employees' mental health in mind as well.</li> </ul> <p><i>Paul Kirvan, FBCI, CISA, is an independent consultant and technical writer with more than 35 years of experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, resilience, cybersecurity, GRC, telecom and technical writing.</i></p> </section> Business continuity efforts don't stop when employees go remote. Learn how to create and manage a reliable business continuity plan for remote workers. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/wfh_a334521469.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Remote-business-continuity-techniques-to-implement-now Wed, 02 Jul 2025 16:00:00 GMT <p>A pandemic plan is a documented strategy for how an organization plans to provide essential services when there is a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease.</p> <p>When a pandemic spreads and a high percentage of a company's employees are sick at the same time, it can negatively affect the company's ability to carry out essential services. Anticipating the possibility of a pandemic should be part of every organization's <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/The-impact-of-coronavirus-on-business-continuity-planning">plan to ensure business continuity</a>.</p> <p>Pandemic plans <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Tips-for-updating-your-corporate-pandemic-response-plan">document the guiding principles</a> an organization will follow in the event of a pandemic. In a small organization, a pandemic plan could be as simple as sending an email that tells employees when they should stay home. In a large organization, the plan should include test exercises to help managers understand the impact that a staff absentee rate of 40% would have on operations.</p> <p>At a minimum, every pandemic plan should have at least two parts: It should explain how the organization will deal with sustained periods of employee absenteeism and specify measures for nonpharmaceutical intervention, which means, essentially, how the business plans to minimize the risk of contagion among employees.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Pandemic planning in the news"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Pandemic planning in the news</h2> <p>Pandemic planning received renewed global attention with the emergence and spread of the coronavirus in late 2019. The highly contagious COVID-19 pandemic resulted in shutdowns across the globe, with many organizations sending their employees home to work remotely to help stop the spread of the virus. As with epidemics and pandemics throughout history, the COVID-19 outbreak raised healthcare, business and governmental policy questions that affect the world's economy.</p> <p>When a pandemic simultaneously affects multiple countries for an extended period, the fallout can have a significant impact on supply chains. Typically, consumer demand for healthcare products related to infection control and nonperishable food increases dramatically during the early days of a pandemic, and shoppers might choose home delivery or drive-through services to reduce the risk of person-to-person contact.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why should a business plan for a pandemic?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why should a business plan for a pandemic?</h2> <p>Although planning can be time-consuming, the price of not having robust preparedness programs in place can be even more costly. Plans require a multilayered approach conducted over an extended period. To be effective, the plan should be a living document that is reviewed and updated on a regular basis.</p> <p>The following is a suggested sequence of pandemic plan development activities:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Obtain copies of existing business continuity and disaster recovery plans.</li> <li>Establish a pandemic recovery team (PRT) to coordinate pandemic preparedness.</li> <li>Establish a pandemic plan glossary to be sure that the language in your crisis communication plan is used correctly and consistently.</li> <li>Have the PRT meet with human resources, senior management and internal technology groups, as well as business continuity and emergency response teams, to establish the scope of the plan.</li> <li>Brief business units and senior management on these meetings so that they are fully informed.</li> <li>Gather all relevant employee information, including contact information and an inventory of skills.</li> <li>Gather all relevant business process information, focusing on critical activities that must be maintained.</li> <li>Gather information about the technology infrastructure that supports these processes.</li> <li>Communicate the pandemic <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/crisis-management-plan-CMP">crisis action plan</a> to employees and business partners.</li> <li>Conducting "fire drill" exercises to identify potential problems with the plan.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Pandemics and the supply chain"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Pandemics and the supply chain</h2> <p>A worldwide pandemic can have major effects on travel, trade, tourism, food consumption and eventually, investment and financial markets. In a severe outbreak, employees might stay home because they are sick, family members are sick, schools or day care centers are closed, or they are simply afraid to come to work and be exposed to someone who is sick. When this happens, product shipments from affected geographic areas might be delayed -- or even canceled, if absenteeism levels are high enough.</p> <p>Communication is an important part of pandemic planning. To keep the economy moving, businesses should alert customers when supply chain disruptions are expected to lead to short-term product delays. Communication plans should also address alternative procedures for pickups and deliveries to suppliers and customers.</p> <p>Having a plan in place to mitigate the risk of a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/definition/supply-chain-security">supply chain breakdown</a> can make the difference between simply staying in business during a pandemic and actually staying profitable. One of the first things an organization should do when writing a plan is to document the business's processes and procedures, and specify how essential services could be provided by alternate suppliers during a period of significant, sustained absenteeism.</p> <p>The plan should also address how the business will cross-train employees to make the best use of existing systems with a reduced workforce. Training employees ahead of time on the use of critical systems and applications is essential. Brainstorming ways to use robots, drones and AI technology to reduce human interaction can also be helpful.</p> <p>To be sure that cybersecurity management activities can be maintained and, if necessary, recovered and restarted quickly, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/Cybersecurity-impact-analysis-template-for-pandemic-planning">cybersecurity operating procedures should be documented</a> and kept current. Although some experts maintain that a pandemic is unlikely to directly affect cybersecurity technologies and networks, if the individuals responsible for cybersecurity -- and other critical business functions -- get sick, they could be unable to perform their duties in the event of an outbreak.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What causes a pandemic?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What causes a pandemic?</h2> <p>The word <i>pandemic</i> comes from the Greek <i>pandemos</i>, meaning "pertaining to all people." Pandemics are usually caused by an infectious agent that is newly capable of spreading rapidly. The likelihood of new diseases spreading quickly has grown with increased travel and mobility. Some healthcare professionals predict that antibiotic resistance could also raise the risk of new types of disease.</p> <p>Unlike seasonal influenza, which can be planned for, the rapid spread of a pandemic influenza typically catches people by surprise. Because such a virus strain is so new, the general population is likely to have little or no immunity. Although new viruses typically do not spread between species, if one mutates, it might start to spread easily and result in a pandemic that affects both people and animals.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What to do during a pandemic"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What to do during a pandemic</h2> <p>According to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ready.gov/pandemic" rel="noopener">Ready</a>, a government-sponsored public service campaign in the U.S., when there is a pandemic, people should take the following actions:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Avoid close contact with others.</li> <li>Wash your hands often.</li> <li>Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.</li> <li>Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.</li> <li>Get plenty of sleep.</li> <li>Remain physically active.</li> <li>Manage stress.</li> <li>Drink plenty of fluids.</li> <li>Eat nutritious food.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Pandemic vs. epidemic"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Pandemic vs. epidemic</h2> <p>An epidemic refers to a sudden surge in the number of instances of a disease, above that which is typical in a population. Epidemics escalate into pandemics when diseases spread over several countries or continents and affect a larger number of people. When a viral infection becomes widespread in several countries at the same time, it can become a pandemic.</p> <p>Pandemics are usually associated with influenza, but throughout history, the term has also been used to describe widespread outbreaks of cholera, bubonic plague and smallpox. There can be a fine line distinguishing an epidemic from a pandemic. For example, the Ebola virus, which killed thousands of people from 2014 to 2016 in West Africa, was considered an epidemic because it was confined to one region.</p> <p>Another example of an outbreak that did not progress to pandemic proportions is the 2003 discovery of SARS, a type of coronavirus dubbed SARS-CoV. National and international health authorities, such as the World Health Organization, acted quickly to slow and eventually end localized SARS epidemics before they could become a pandemic, but the disease has not been eradicated.</p> <p>Additionally, cases of avian influenza, or bird flu, in 2004 and 2005 did not reach pandemic status because the virus did not cause sustained and efficient human-to-human transmission. The disease was reportedly transmitted from bird to human, but there were few, if any, cases of proven human-to-human transmission.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What's included in a pandemic plan?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What's included in a pandemic plan?</h2> <p>An organization's pandemic plan should take into consideration potential shortages of raw materials and supplies, as well as how, if possible, the business will obtain enough materials to keep operations running at an acceptable level. The U.S. government recommends that all businesses have continuity plans stipulating how they would keep their business running with high absenteeism and shortages -- and what they will do if forced to reduce production or limit work to essential services.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Pandemic preparedness checklist"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Pandemic preparedness checklist</h2> <p>Use the pandemic preparedness checklist below to help your company evaluate the potential short- and long-term impact of a pandemic. It is divided into five stages with different sets of tasks. To conduct a pandemic preparedness check, evaluate each task and indicate if it is complete, in progress or not started.</p> <h3>1. Assess business impact</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Conduct a risk assessment to define the likelihood of a pandemic affecting the organization.</li> <li>Conduct a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/business-impact-analysis">business impact analysis</a> to understand the effects of a pandemic on operations throughout the organization.</li> <li>Estimate the effects on business-related domestic and international travel.</li> <li>Establish plans to deal with significantly increased or decreased demand for products and services.</li> </ul> <h3>2. Address employee needs</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Make sure that employees know about available healthcare services.</li> <li>Promote or facilitate vaccination clinics for employees.</li> <li>Establish policies to prevent infection in the workplace.</li> <li>Define policies for employee sick leave.</li> <li>Decide how to deal with high absentee rates.</li> </ul> <h3>3. Establish a pandemic response plan</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Identify a pandemic coordinator or team and define their responsibilities.</li> <li>Identify essential employees and critical inputs necessary to maintain business operations.</li> <li>Develop and distribute information and materials covering pandemic fundamentals.</li> <li>Develop platforms and channels for communicating pandemic status and actions to employees, suppliers, customers and vendors.</li> <li>Identify the triggers for activating and ending the pandemic plan.</li> </ul> <h3>4. Allocate resources</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Provide infection control supplies at all business locations.</li> <li>Confirm the availability of medical consultation and advice for emergency response.</li> <li>Optimize IT infrastructure to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/Guide-to-telecommuting-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic">support telecommuting</a> and remote customer access.</li> </ul> <h3>5. Communicate with external organizations</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Collaborate with insurers, health plans, major local healthcare facilities, public health agencies -- federal, state and local -- and emergency responders to understand their capabilities and plans.</li> <li>Communicate with local and state health agencies and emergency responders to identify ways in which the organization can help the community during a pandemic.</li> <li>Share pandemic planning best practices with other businesses and associations in the community to improve overall response efforts.</li> </ul> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> <i>This article was originally published in 2020. Informa TechTarget editors updated it in June 2025 to improve readability.</i></p> </section> A pandemic plan is a documented strategy for how an organization plans to provide essential services when there is a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/digdeeper/6.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/pandemic-plan Fri, 20 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT <p>Change control is a systematic approach that includes the various steps needed to process changes made to a product or system.</p> <p>Completing change control methodically is part of a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/change-management">change management</a> process. The purpose of change control and change control management is to ensure that no unnecessary changes are made, all changes are documented, services are not disrupted unnecessarily, and resources are used efficiently. Within IT, where processing changes is a daily activity, change control is a component of change management.</p> <p>The change control process is usually conducted as a sequence of steps resulting from the submission of a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/change-request">change request</a>. Typical IT change requests include adding features to software applications, installing patches, and upgrading <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/An-introduction-to-8-types-of-network-devices">network equipment</a> or systems.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How does the change control process work?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How does the change control process work?</h2> <p>The following is an example of a six-step process for a software change request:</p> <ol type="1" start="1" class="default-list"> <li><b>Documenting the change request.</b> The client's change request or proposal is categorized and recorded, along with informal assessments of the importance of that change and the difficulty of implementing it.</li> <li><b>Formal assessment.</b> This step evaluates the justification for the change and the risks and benefits of making or not making the change. If the change request is accepted, a development team will be assigned. If the change request is rejected, that is documented and communicated to the client.</li> <li><b>Planning.</b> The team responsible for the change creates a detailed plan for its design and implementation, as well as for rolling back the change should it be deemed unsuccessful.</li> <li><b>Designing and testing.</b> The team designs and tests the program for the software change. If the change is deemed successful, the team requests approval and an implementation date.</li> <li><b>Implementation and review.</b> The team implements the program and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/stakeholder">stakeholders</a> review the change.</li> <li><b>Final assessment.</b> If the client is satisfied with the implementation of the change, the change request is closed. If not, the project is reassessed, and steps might be repeated.</li> </ol> <p>The following diagram shows a visual representation of the change request process.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/disaster_recovery-change_control_request-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/disaster_recovery-change_control_request-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/disaster_recovery-change_control_request-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/disaster_recovery-change_control_request-f.png 1280w" alt="A diagram showing the six steps of the change request process." height="560" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Effective change control processes are critical for incorporating necessary changes. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>The basic change control process is simple. Anyone can submit a change request. Once the request has been written and submitted, it is reviewed by the change management team. If approved, it might be analyzed further, or it can go directly to the change control board (CCB). Assuming the proposed change gets approved for processing, it goes through multiple steps that can include design, engineering, prototyping, hardware and software selection, acceptance testing, rollout into production and follow-up before the request can be closed.</p> <p>The basic components of a typical change request are typically universal across industries, and include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>The date of the request.</li> <li>The name, role and department of the person making the request.</li> <li>A description of the change being requested.</li> <li>The reason or justification for the change.</li> <li>The impact that the change will have on processes, quality and budget.</li> <li>Priority or the importance of the request.</li> <li>Action plan for implementing the request; this is optional.</li> <li>Approval and authorization for the request.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Who uses change control?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Who uses change control?</h2> <p>In a typical IT department, a change control board examines the proposed changes, assesses viability, recommends approval or rejection, and conducts subsequent reviews as the change progresses to completion. IT employees can be <a target="_blank" href="https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/change-control-board-roles-responsibilities-processes" rel="noopener">assigned</a> to the CCB and also to one or more <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/feature/4-tips-CIOs-can-use-to-drive-change-management">change management teams</a>.</p> <p>IT department employees are the most likely to submit change requests since they work with systems and networks daily. Any proposed change is first discussed with management. If the issue has merit, the employee prepares a change request signed by a manager and submits it to the change management team.</p> <p>Company employees can also propose a change. Initial contact is with the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/help-desk">help desk</a> to establish a ticket for tracking. Then the request is queued for review by the change management team, which provides an initial review and assessment. The team might be authorized to reject a request without sending it to the CCB. If the team approves the request, a formal change document is prepared with a detailed description as specified in the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/opinion/3-rules-to-adapt-cloud-change-management-policies">change management policy</a>. When the CCB meets, its members can discuss the request. If more information is needed, the request will be returned to the requestor. The updated request is then sent to the CCB for further discussion and to decide on the changes.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="When to implement change control"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>When to implement change control</h2> <p>Change control is typically a good idea when one of the following conditions arise during project planning:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>The scope of a project has changed.</li> <li>The timeline of a project has changed.</li> <li>The project budget has been revised.</li> <li>Quality requirements for the project have been modified.</li> <li>Potential risk has increased or decreased, changing conditions.</li> <li>Compliance requirements must be considered.</li> <li>Technology or processes involved in executing the project have changed.</li> <li>Errors must be corrected.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Change control and change management for auditing"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Change control and change management for auditing</h2> <p>From an <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/IT-audit-information-technology-audit">audit</a> perspective, the change management process is a collection of specific controls, including change control, each of which contributes to the completion of a change. While the change process is typically depicted as a series of steps, the steps can also be considered controls for audit review.</p> <p>The following diagram depicts a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Creating-an-effective-change-management-process-for-IT-ops">change management process</a> and several of its controls.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/change_management_process-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/change_management_process-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/change_management_process-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/change_management_process-f.png 1280w" alt="A diagram showing how the change management process works." height="269" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>This illustrates the basic change management process with change controls. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>The diagram includes a change management policy, which specifies the various controls as indicated, such as initiating the CCB. Each control might have numerous subprocesses as part of the overall control. The presence of a policy is an important audit control.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Change control in project management"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Change control in project management</h2> <p>Change control is an important part of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/Top-15-IT-project-manager-interview-questions">project management in IT</a> and non-IT areas -- including manufacturing and pharmaceuticals -- and can be a formal or informal process. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/IT-project-manager">Project managers</a> examine change requests to determine their potential effect on the project or system. Effective change control processes are critical for incorporating necessary changes while ensuring they do not disrupt other project activities or delay progress.</p> <p>Each potential change must be evaluated in relation to its potential effect on the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/project-scope">Scope</a> of the project.</li> <li>Schedule of progress and milestones.</li> <li>Costs of additional labor and other resource requirements.</li> <li>Quality of the completed project, as excessive quantities of work can lead to rushed work, resulting in a higher likelihood of defects.</li> <li>Human resources, as change requests might require additional labor or specialized skills.</li> <li>Risk, as even minor changes can have a domino effect on the project, leading to potential logistical, financial or <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/IT-security-frameworks-and-standards-Choosing-the-right-one">security risks</a>.</li> <li>Impact on the business, such as creating more value for the company or improving a process that saves money and resources.</li> <li>Procurement of materials, labor, skills and other necessary project resources.</li> <li>Stakeholders -- including project managers, executives, company owners, vendors, team members or investors -- who might voice their support or push back on a project.</li> </ul> <p>Within IT, change management and project management often operate in parallel. For example, a project's outcome, such as a scope change, could necessitate a change request. Both activities are essential tools for successfully managing an IT department.</p> <p>The following are some use cases for change control in project management:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Pharmaceutical industry. </b>This might include adjusting the ingredients and composition of medicines or implementing improvements and adjustments in synthesis processes.</li> <li><b>Software development.</b> This could include project codebase adjustment, updates to user interface and implementation of new security features.</li> <li><b>Construction.</b> This might include new safety protocols and substitution of materials.</li> <li><b>Manufacturing.</b> This could include implementing new compliance requirements, upgrades to quality control processes or adopting new employee safety standards.</li> </ul> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nXOCnDQ05kA?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Benefits of change control"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Benefits of change control</h2> <p>Effective change control can provide the following potential benefits for projects in almost any industry:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Better cost and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/risk-avoidance">risk avoidance</a>.</li> <li>Lower risk associated with each individual change.</li> <li>Reduced amount of time needed for changes.</li> <li>Completion of changes that help the company be more productive, save money, compete more effectively and boost its reputation.</li> <li>Better communications and teamwork among employees.</li> <li>Changes can be factored in with less disruption to project schedules, as requests will be considered and managed around the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/project-planning">project timeline</a>.</li> <li>Project managers will be informed about change needs in the planning phase and have time to consider possible courses of action.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Best practices for change control"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Best practices for change control</h2> <p>Change control is one aspect of the many components of change management. The following are recommended actions to take when change control and a change management activity are in place:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Establish a change management policy that addresses the full spectrum of change-related activities.</li> <li>Ensure continued senior management support for the change process.</li> <li>Consider using an automated change management system such as Guru, Wrike, ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus, SysAid, Whatfix or WalkMe. Examine open source tools for potential cost savings.</li> <li>Establish companywide awareness of the change management process.</li> <li>Establish a change control board with members who are committed to a strong change management process.</li> <li>Develop change request forms; an automated system might have its own forms.</li> <li>Establish and regularly update a change control log providing details on all active change requests.</li> <li>Set up a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/definition/database">database</a> and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/archive">archive</a> of completed change requests that can be referenced as evidence for audit review.</li> <li>Periodically review the change process and update it as needed.</li> </ul> <p>Many organizations develop their own change processes that address the above items. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has published its own change guidelines covering topics such as quality management, quality risk management, corrective and preventive actions, and the quality unit for evaluating change.</p> <p><i>Task automation tools can help organizations save time and reduce risks for IT operations. Learn what </i><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Task-automation-tools-to-increase-productivity"><i>types of IT automation tools</i></a><i> can help operations teams manage multiple tasks. </i></p> </section> Change control is a systematic approach that includes the various steps needed to process changes made to a product or system. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/digdeeper/5.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/change-control Wed, 11 Jun 2025 13:00:00 GMT <p>Resilience is a prominent element of business continuity and disaster recovery. Organizational and operational resilience are two facets of this area that businesses must understand and implement to achieve business resilience.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/business-resilience">Business resilience</a> ensures that an organization can recover after a crisis, resume operations and withstand future threats. Along with protecting an organization, achieving organizational and operational resilience can also benefit a company's image.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/How-to-manage-and-mitigate-reputational-risk">reputation</a> for resilience can greatly enhance an organization's survival over time, since it is more likely to get through disruptions. Organizations that are perceived as being able to stay operational despite disruptive events are likely to be more in-demand, well positioned and highly competitive within their marketplaces.</p> <p>You cannot achieve operational and organizational resilience if you don't understand the differences between them. This article will compare organizational vs. operational resilience, how to achieve each metric, and why they matter to an overall business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) strategy.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is organizational resilience?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is organizational resilience?</h2> <p>Organizational resilience generally embodies the entire organization, including technology, people, facilities, processes and everything needed to operate the business. If each of these elements is protected from <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Top-5-IT-disaster-scenarios-DR-teams-must-test">disruptive events</a>, and plans are in place to recover and restore them to normal operations, you could say organizational resilience has been achieved.</p> <p>Adaptability is also a part of most organizational resilience definitions. Ideally, a resilient organization can bend and flex during a disruptive event and return to normal operations once the event has passed.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/ISO">International Organization for Standardization</a> has a standard on organizational resilience, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/answer/How-does-the-ISO-22316-standard-cover-IT-resilience">ISO 22316:2017</a>, Security and resilience -- Organizational resilience -- Principles and attributes. This standard defines a framework for organizations to make sure that their business activities can be protected and maintained now and in the future. A key element of the standard is the focus on preparing organizations to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/CISOs-guide-to-demonstrating-cyber-resilience">better anticipate and respond to potential risks and threats</a>, while also identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is operational resilience?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is operational resilience?</h2> <p>Operational resilience has been in the shadows of organizational resilience and is now a term of growing interest. Gartner <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/operational-resilience" rel="noopener">describes</a> operational resilience as "initiatives that expand business continuity management programs to focus on the impacts, connected risk appetite and tolerance levels for disruption of product or service delivery to internal and external stakeholders."</p> <p>While organizational resilience focuses on the long term, operational resilience focuses on immediate action. Operational resilience is directly linked to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/business-continuity">business continuity</a> because both prioritize getting systems and processes up and running as soon as possible.</p> <table class="main-article-table"> <thead> <tr> <td></td> <td>Organizational resilience</td> <td>Operational resilience</td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><strong>Scope</strong></td> <td>Organization-wide.</td> <td>Business operations and processes.</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Time frame</strong></td> <td>Long-term strategic focus.</td> <td>Immediate to medium-term focus.</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Primary focus</strong></td> <td>Overall adaptability and resilience.</td> <td>Continuity of critical business functions.</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Key components</strong></td> <td>Culture, leadership, strategy.</td> <td>Systems, processes, technology.</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>How it is measured</strong></td> <td>Strategic outcomes, organizational health.</td> <td>Operational KPIs, recovery time objectives.</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Who is responsible</strong></td> <td>Board and executive leadership.</td> <td>Operations and technology teams.</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to establish organizational resilience"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to establish organizational resilience</h2> <p>As the name implies, organizational resilience looks at the entire organization. BCDR, cybersecurity and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/feature/7-techniques-to-build-supply-chain-resilience">supply chain initiatives</a> are all essential building blocks for achieving organizational resilience. Ideally, each of these initiatives works with the others to minimize the likelihood of disruptive events occurring and to maximize the security and survivability of each element.</p> <p>Since organizational resilience involves the entire company, establishing it requires commitment from leadership as well as cultural transformation, promoting resilience and long-term adaptability. To achieve organizational resilience, it must be part of the company's strategic planning for the future.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to establish operational resilience"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to establish operational resilience</h2> <p>Operational resilience examines a business's activities and what it requires to continue performing those activities. It is more process-oriented than organizational resilience, examining <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/feature/What-is-a-business-resilience-plan-and-why-do-you-need-one">how the business functions</a> and what the organization needs to protect those processes.</p> <p>What do businesses need to operate today? Despite its focus on workers and processes, the push for operational resilience must start at the top. Senior management must be aware of the importance of maintaining operational resilience and must support initiatives such as the creation of policies, frameworks and structures that support it. These then filter down to operational teams to implement programs, controls and procedures to produce products and services.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cHAu-OLLR9M?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p><i>Paul Kirvan, FBCI, CISA, is an independent consultant and technical writer with more than 35 years of experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, resilience, cybersecurity, GRC, telecom and technical writing.</i></p> </section> Organizational and operational resilience are two critical components of BCDR. Learn the differences between the two and how to establish them for peak resilience. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/collab_a240557247.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Organizational-vs-operational-resilience-Whats-the-difference Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:00:00 GMT <p>Today's sophisticated data centers handle mission-critical operations and processes, and it is not feasible to shut them down -- even for a short duration. IT and disaster recovery teams must be prepared to mitigate data center outages.</p> <p>Power disruptions or failures might not result in a complete blackout, but can still negatively affect operations in the data center. Disruptions can cause a partial or complete shutdown of the data center or below-standard operation. Even a partial lag with critical systems might result in unacceptable performance of data center equipment, violating service-level agreements or losing customer trust.</p> <p>Despite all the precautions organizations can take to provide uninterrupted power to data centers, situations can occur that threaten their continued operations. Emergency power strategies are a vital part of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/disaster-recovery-plan">DR planning</a>. Data centers are seriously at risk without emergency power systems and strategies to protect their power supplies.</p> <p>While no power system is 100% infallible, organizations can deploy safeguards to reduce the likelihood of an unplanned disruption. The goal is to minimize the potential for component failure and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Make-a-power-outage-business-continuity-plan-with-these-tips">get operations back to normal levels</a> as soon as possible. This article will discuss common causes for data center power outages and offer tips on mitigating them.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Common causes of data center power outages"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Common causes of data center power outages</h2> <p>There are several common causes of data center power outages, each with their own destructive effects. IT and DR personnel should be familiar with these disruptions and understand how they might affect existing infrastructure.</p> <h3>Weather-related events</h3> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/news/366613474/Data-center-providers-design-for-severe-weather-surge">Severe storms</a>, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, mudslides or lightning strikes can damage power lines and critical utility infrastructure, which can affect the delivery of power to a broad geographic area. Extreme temperatures can overload cooling systems, potentially leading to shutdowns.</p> <h3>Utility company disruptions</h3> <p>The national power grid in the U.S. comprises many interconnected power systems. Data centers can lose power during regional power grid failures or brownouts, which can be caused by high demand or equipment failure. Additionally, the national <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/critical-infrastructure">critical infrastructure</a> continues to age, which can lead to outages.</p> <h3>Equipment malfunction</h3> <p>Failure of primary or backup systems can lead to prolonged outages for utility companies and end users alike. Faulty hardware or software in power management systems can also cause outages.</p> <h3>Human error</h3> <p>Employees in utility companies have a huge responsibility to keep power flowing, and inadequate employee training can cause mistakes during maintenance or system upgrades. Even experienced utility technicians can occasionally make a mistake.</p> <h3>Cybersecurity incidents</h3> <p>Cybersecurity attacks are a growing threat to the nation's critical power infrastructure. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/The-biggest-ransomware-attacks-in-history">Targeted ransomware attacks</a> or hacking of power monitoring software can be exploited to threaten power generation and delivery.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Strategies to prevent future outages"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Strategies to prevent future outages</h2> <p>Protecting data centers from unplanned power outages requires a well-designed program of maintenance, testing, documentation, monitoring and analysis of power performance data. The following is a list of key strategies for establishing a robust, secure and survivable power environment:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Electric power companies are major partners in data center operations. Close cooperation with carriers and regular reviews of power quality keep organizations updated and informed of the status of their resources.</li> <li>Power quality can vary greatly by provider, so it is essential to invest in equipment that removes or minimizes power anomalies such as voltage or frequency fluctuations, sags, spikes, surges, brownouts or blackouts. This includes power conditioners, line filters, surge suppressors, lightning arresters and many other devices.</li> <li>Obtaining primary commercial power from two different power grids and routing that power to the data center via diverse paths, if possible, can improve an organization's chances of recovering in a power outage. However, the costs to engineer and construct such a diverse power infrastructure can be prohibitive.</li> <li>In a medium to large data center, emergency power systems typically include a centralized <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/uninterruptible-power-supply">uninterruptible power supply</a> (UPS) system providing continuous power if commercial power is lost. If the tanks are refueled, motor-based generators can run indefinitely.</li> <li>Establish primary and alternate sources of fuel for emergency generators and, if possible, arrange for expedited fuel delivery, even if it costs extra.</li> <li>Configure emergency power systems to deliver emergency power for anticipated computer loads, the data center's HVAC system, telecom closets, emergency lights and other loads as needed.</li> <li>Size the emergency power system to handle the anticipated loads.</li> <li>If modular UPS equipment is used, the backup power array can be expanded via additional UPS modules and batteries.</li> <li>To make sure emergency power systems will work when needed, perform regular tests, especially with a medium to full electrical load.</li> <li>A program for maintenance is essential, in addition to regular testing. This includes scheduling tests of primary and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-redundancy-The-basics">backup power systems</a>, regular inspections, and following manufacturer recommendations for maintenance and support.</li> <li>Benchmarking is another strategy for power protection. This means establishing a tracking mechanism that documents the results of every test. Such data can help indicate potential problems before they occur.</li> <li>Consider installing emergency power systems equipped with load banks capable of providing loads equaling 100% of the generator capacity. This enables full testing without affecting data center operations.</li> <li>Develop <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/5-critical-steps-to-creating-an-effective-incident-response-plan">emergency procedures</a> for responding to power problems while minimizing the effects on critical data center systems. Such procedures should list step-by-step actions to take for a given type of emergency.</li> <li>Be sure to have access to trained maintenance personnel to facilitate a power system recovery. If on-site employees are not familiar with power system operation, obtain the data from equipment manufacturers or work with a contractor who specializes in power systems.</li> <li>Make sure power system documentation is up to date and that the documents are available in electronic and hard-copy versions.</li> <li>Locate primary and backup power systems in secure areas to prevent unauthorized access.</li> <li>If possible, commission power systems prior to placing them in service. Commissioning examines and tests all power system components end-to-end across the data center to make sure all components work together properly.</li> <li>Invest in <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/feature/Using-AI-for-disaster-response">AI technology</a> to enhance monitoring, problem detection and response, and compliance with regulatory standards.</li> </ul> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">The role of AI in preventing outages</h3> <p>Many of the strategies in this article can be performed with artificial intelligence. Today's power management systems have AI elements that handle the following functions:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Predictive maintenance.</b> AI can analyze system performance data using algorithms that can predict potential failures in power equipment.</li> <li><b>Energy optimization.</b> AI tools can use power consumption patterns to optimize energy usage and system efficiency.</li> <li><b>Identifying and responding to potential faults.</b> Detection of potential fault conditions using AI identifies anomalies in real time and launches a response autonomously.</li> <li><b>Real-time load management.</b> Upon detecting a power issue, AI tools can automatically reposition workloads across computing devices during power interruptions, maintaining mission-critical operations.</li> <li><b>Support for data center disaster recovery.</b> Data center power system administrators can use AI-driven simulations and scenario planning to prepare for power outages.</li> <li><b>Automated remote monitoring.</b> AI can monitor power activities remotely and support monitoring of multiple data centers.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="The real cost of data center power outages"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>The real cost of data center power outages</h2> <p>Loss of data center power can damage businesses of all sizes, in any industry. The consequences of a disruption can include failure to deliver products and services on time, loss of customers, loss of revenue and reputational damage.</p> <p>For example, in 2024, 60 data centers in northern Virginia <a target="_blank" href="https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/virginia-narrowly-avoided-power-cuts-when-60-data-centers-dropped-off-the-grid-at-once/" rel="noopener">simultaneously switched</a> to backup generators, almost causing blackouts, due to a lightning arrester failure on a high-voltage transmission line.</p> <p>According to Uptime Institute, which provides guidance on protecting data centers from outages and increasing uptime and availability, 70% of outages cost more than $100,000, while some can end up costing millions from lost customer revenue and reputational damage.</p> <p>Uptime Institute's 2024 <a target="_blank" href="https://uptimeinstitute.com/resources/research-and-reports/annual-outage-analysis-2024" rel="noopener">report</a> noted that approximately 55% of organizations reported at least one data center outage in the past three years. The report also said failures in power and cooling systems accounted for 71% of these outages, with human error being a significant contributing factor.</p> <p><i>Paul Kirvan, FBCI, CISA, is an independent consultant and technical writer with more than 35 years of experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, resilience, cybersecurity, GRC, telecom and technical writing.</i></p> </section> Mitigating data center power outages is crucial for business survival. Learn the strategies today's organizations use to safeguard their critical infrastructure from disruptions. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/disaster_recovery_a257795847.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/feature/Data-center-emergency-power-strategies-in-disaster-recovery-planning Tue, 27 May 2025 14:00:00 GMT <p>The most successful companies recognize that sustainability initiatives can -- and must -- strengthen profitability, resilience and growth.</p> <p>In an environment where regulatory support for sustainability fluctuates, leaders can take a pragmatic approach to pursue sustainability initiatives that deliver direct bottom-line results. There are win-win sustainability initiatives that strengthen profitability and market position, and deliver value to shareholders, customers and employees. Those are the areas where sustainability drives tangible business outcomes and where sustainability is integral to business strategy.</p> <p>Leaders across lines of business <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/sustainability/feature/How-to-make-a-business-case-for-sustainable-IT">can make a business case</a> for sustainability initiatives based on tangible objectives: cost savings, risk reduction, revenue growth and competitive advantage.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Cost savings"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Cost savings</h2> <p>One of the straightforward ways that sustainability drives business value is through operational efficiency. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Boost-SOC-efficiency-with-Python-security-automation">Improving energy efficiency</a>, reducing material waste and optimizing logistics all translate directly into lower costs.</p> <p>In manufacturing, leaner processes often mean less energy consumption and lower material waste, directly improving margins. In real estate, energy-efficient buildings not only reduce operational costs, but also retain higher asset values over time. By redesigning and optimizing delivery routes, logistics firms can minimize fuel usage and realize significant savings. Sustainability programs aimed at operational efficiency usually yield fast, measurable returns, and this is a critical way to strengthen executive support.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Risk reduction"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Risk reduction</h2> <p>Supply chain disruptions, resource scarcity and climate-related disasters are unfortunately frequent realities that <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/sustainability/feature/How-does-climate-change-affect-businesses-Financial-impacts">affect businesses today</a>. Sustainability can serve as a strategic tool to reduce exposure to these risks. Companies that diversify supply chains and invest in more resilient infrastructure are better positioned to weather such disruptions.</p> <p>The goal is not to mitigate against every hypothetical risk, but to make investments where risk exposure is clear and financially material. For example, companies that invest in water-efficient manufacturing processes are better positioned during droughts or regional water shortages. Sustainability can be a key lever for <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Sustainability-and-business-continuity-share-a-common-goal">ensuring business continuity</a>.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Revenue growth"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Revenue growth</h2> <p>Sustainability can be a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/unlocking-sustainability-green-growth-innovative-strategies/" rel="noopener">growth driver</a> for new markets and new revenue streams. Resale, rental and refurbishment business models are unlocking new revenue streams in sectors like apparel, luxury goods, electronics <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/microscope/opinion/Making-the-sustainability-case-for-refurbished-tech">and tech</a>.</p> <p>Consumers, especially younger demographics, are gravitating toward brands that reflect their environmental values. Products that deliver sustainability benefits that customers value -- such as longer durability, lower lifetime costs or improved energy performance -- can command higher margins and enhance loyalty. Success depends on premium brand equity, logistical efficiency and customer willingness to pay.</p> <p>Business leaders should assess where they can profitably operationalize these circular business models -- such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Use-the-data-center-circular-economy-for-sustainability">with data centers</a> -- and companies should assess whether there is a clear, scalable and profitable business case for green products and product extensions.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Competitive edge"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Competitive edge</h2> <p>When done right and authentically, sustainability can build meaningful competitive advantage. But superficial efforts without any substance are easily exposed and diminish credibility rather than enhance it. In consumer markets, authentic sustainability credentials that are backed by actual product or service improvements offer opportunities for differentiation without eroding margins.</p> <p>For example, in procurement, companies offering lower-carbon or sustainably sourced products can secure preferred supplier status with major buyers that have established sustainability goals. Companies with credible sustainability track records also tend to outperform in talent acquisition and retention, as employees align with their sustainability goals.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/linear_vs_circular_economy-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/linear_vs_circular_economy-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/linear_vs_circular_economy-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/linear_vs_circular_economy-f.png 1280w" alt="Graphic comparing linear vs. circular economy models." height="560" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Exploring circular economy business models can help companies find new markets. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to ensure profitable ESG"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to ensure profitable ESG</h2> <p>Sustainability as a business driver doesn't just happen. It requires that business, sustainability and IT leaders work together to get strategic. Here are some best practices they can prioritize.</p> <h3>Prioritize financially material initiatives</h3> <p>Not all sustainability efforts are equal in financial impact. Companies must rigorously assess the ROI of potential initiatives <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/sustainability/feature/Sustainability-tech-stack-components-for-greener-enterprises">and software</a>, just as they would with any capital investment.</p> <p>Best practices here include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Conduct a full cost-benefit analysis of each sustainability project. Start with initiatives that deliver fast savings or direct revenue gains -- for example, energy retrofits and waste reduction programs.</li> <li>Avoid spreading resources across too many projects. Focus on a small number of high-impact moves initially. Early financial wins build momentum and credibility, laying the foundation for longer-term initiatives.</li> </ul> <h3>Integrate sustainability into core strategy</h3> <p>Sustainability must be integrated into business strategy, not bolted on to make the company look good. It should be embedded where it reinforces what the company already does best. For example, leaders at energy companies should focus on storage and grid modernization, where incentives align with long-term market shifts. Leaders in manufacturing companies should focus on operational efficiency. Those at consumer brands should explore resale or rental models only if they enhance the company's core value proposition.</p> <p>Best practices here include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Avoid tacking on sustainability programs that are disconnected from the company's core capabilities.</li> <li>Set sustainability targets that align directly with business KPIs, such as margin improvement, revenue growth or market expansion.</li> <li>Make business unit leaders, not just sustainability teams, accountable for sustainability outcomes.</li> </ul> <h3>Build resilience to policy and market fluctuations</h3> <p>Government policies and consumer expectations around sustainability are in constant flux. A sustainability strategy that depends on external support is fragile; one anchored in business value is resilient. Companies that succeed treat sustainability as a lever for long-term market resilience, not short-term political compliance.</p> <p>Best practices here include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Monitor emerging ESG regulations to stay ahead rather than react.</li> <li>Position sustainability initiatives as value-creation plays, not compliance obligations.</li> <li>Focus on initiatives that reduce input costs or create premium revenue opportunities, regardless of external policy support.</li> </ul> <h3>Scale through partnerships</h3> <p>Sustainability challenges are often too complex for one company to solve alone. Strategic partnerships can accelerate results and reduce risk. Ecosystem thinking and shared investment models enable companies to scale sustainable innovation faster and keep it affordable.</p> <p>Best practices here include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Collaborate across the supply chain to codevelop sustainable materials and processes.</li> <li>Partner with startups and innovators in clean tech, circular economy strategies and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/opinion/IT-Sustainability-Think-Tank-Sustainable-innovation-in-the-age-of-AI">AI for sustainability</a>.</li> <li>Participate in industry alliances that push for common sustainability standards and open new business opportunities.</li> </ul> <p>Companies that treat sustainability as a compliance cost will find themselves outpaced. Those that embed sustainability into how they create, deliver and capture value will unlock new sources of competitive advantage and profits.</p> <p>Sustainability need not be just about "doing good" -- it's also a great way to build companies that are more profitable, more resilient and better positioned for the future.</p> <p><i>Kashyap Kompella </i><i>is an industry analyst, author, educator and AI adviser to leading companies and startups across the U.S., Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions. Currently, he is CEO of RPA2AI Research, a global technology industry analyst firm.</i></p> </section> Environmental sustainability isn't just an exercise in 'doing good' -- it has a clear ROI. Here's how to get it. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/money_g1144191163.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/sustainability/feature/The-clear-business-case-for-environmental-sustainability Thu, 01 May 2025 12:03:00 GMT <p>As external attacks using ransomware, phishing and other vectors continue to evolve their capabilities, so, too, must data backup professionals.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/ransomware">ransomware</a> attack that prevents access to IT systems and data can shut down an organization. Given the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/Ransomware-trends-statistics-and-facts">threat environment that IT professionals face today</a>, effective preventive measures for a ransomware backup strategy include having a highly protected network perimeter along with data backup and disaster recovery plans. But are they enough?</p> <p>It's never too early to review a data protection strategy, especially when it comes to cyberattacks. There have been several developments in the ransomware space in the last few years. For example, AI-based ransomware protection is currently gaining momentum, but <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/Explaining-AIs-impact-on-ransomware-attacks-and-security">AI-powered ransomware</a> has become a threat.</p> <p>Luckily, there are several ways to mitigate cyberattacks. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/How-to-use-air-gaps-for-ransomware-defense">Air-gapped</a> and immutable backups are reliable ways to protect data from ransomware. On-site and remote storage options are plentiful and varied, with a variety of security methodologies available.</p> <p>Backups are one of an organization's last lines of defense against a ransomware attack. Here are seven things that backup administrators can do to bolster a ransomware backup strategy.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to improve a ransomware backup strategy"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to improve a ransomware backup strategy</h2> <p>Even a strong ransomware protection strategy might miss critical vulnerabilities or simply have room for improvement. The following are seven ways that organizations can strengthen a ransomware backup strategy.</p> <h3>1. Use multiple backup locations</h3> <p>Storing backups in a single location is a quick way to guarantee that every copy of critical data becomes inaccessible in a cyberattack. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/3-2-1-Backup-Strategy">Multiple locations and data formats</a> provide another layer of security between would-be attackers and your data backups. There are several options that organizations can choose from, including local storage, cloud storage and hybrid options. If an organization only uses one of these options, it might be time to incorporate another or consider a change.</p> <p>However, storage resource costs are a major consideration for a ransomware backup strategy, especially for brick-and-mortar and small businesses. Organizations with multiple data centers must be able to justify the overhead expense associated with these facilities. Cloud storage can save money by reducing the need for physical footprints, but the organization must <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/tip/Top-5-cloud-storage-security-issues-and-how-to-contain-them">provide security and data protection</a>.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5hHBMNih_fM?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <h3>2. Consider bandwidth requirements</h3> <p>The last thing a backup administrator wants in a crisis is to find out that the network can't <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/The-top-10-causes-of-slow-data-backups">support a rapid recovery</a> after an attack. Organizations must know the network bandwidth required for large data downloads and system recoveries in an emergency.</p> <h3>3. Prioritize and manage data</h3> <p>Backup administrators are responsible for vast amounts of data. To avoid <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/The-7-critical-backup-strategy-best-practices-to-keep-data-safe">overwhelming a backup strategy</a>, prioritize data and systems by criticality. That will provide the organization with access to high-priority data in an emergency. Data reduction techniques like compression and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/The-ultimate-guide-to-backup-deduplication">deduplication</a> can prevent the number of copies of data from becoming unmanageable.</p> <h3>4. Increase backup frequency</h3> <p>Data backup frequency varies by organization, but more frequent backups provide more accurate and up-to-date files if there is a disruption. Admins can strategically choose types of backups and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Backup-scheduling-best-practices-to-ensure-availability">schedule them</a> to create up-to-date data copies without disrupting operations. For example, an organization might conduct weekly full backups supplemented with frequent <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/Full-incremental-or-differential-How-to-choose-the-correct-backup-type">incremental or differential backups</a>.</p> <h3>5. Employ data encryption and secure access</h3> <p>IT security and data backup teams have a <a target="_blank" href="https://csrc.nist.gov/CSRC/media/Projects/ransomware-protection-and-response/documents/NIST_Tips_for_Preparing_for_Ransomware_Attacks.pdf" rel="noopener">common goal</a> of protecting business data from cybersecurity threats. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Use-backup-encryption-to-protect-data-from-would-be-thieves">Encryption can help protect backups</a>, along with secure access measures, including multifactor authentication and role-based access control.</p> <h3>6. Routinely test backups</h3> <p>Testing verifies that backed-up data and systems are operational and accessible, ideally before an attack occurs. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Ten-important-steps-for-testing-backups">Testing backups</a>&nbsp;is the most reliable way that backup admins can ensure the integrity of backups and find existing flaws in a ransomware backup strategy.</p> <h3>7. Review the data backup policy</h3> <p>A <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/The-importance-of-backup-policies">thorough data backup policy</a> must address cyberattacks and how they might affect backups. Backups are not just a data protection tool, preserving copies of data off-site or offline. Backups can also be the target of ransomware and other cyberattacks themselves. Make sure that the organization's data backup policy addresses both situations.</p> <p><i>Paul Kirvan, FBCI, CISA, is an independent consultant and technical writer with more than 35 years of experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, resilience, cybersecurity, GRC, telecom and technical writing.</i></p> </section> It's time to review your strategy for ransomware backup and recovery. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/folder-files13.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/answer/How-can-your-ransomware-backup-strategy-improve Mon, 28 Apr 2025 17:00:00 GMT <p>AI tools can help improve business decision-making and efficiency, especially in the high-stakes field of disaster recovery. In addition to DR planning, some organizations use AI to guide them toward the best incident response options.</p> <p>There are generally three disaster response and recovery phases where AI tools can help: before the incident strikes, during the incident and post-incident response. In the first phase, AI tools are <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchbusinessanalytics/tip/6-top-predictive-analytics-tools">mostly predictive</a> and used for planning and testing. During a disruption, AI might assist with communications, resource allocation and real-time monitoring. After the disaster has passed, DR and IT teams can use the information that AI tools learned to mitigate future incidents.</p> <p>Disaster response and management is a critical operation, and there is no room for error. When integrating AI into a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/disaster-recovery-plan">disaster recovery plan</a>, be careful to consider where it works best and make sure the products have been properly tested in nondisaster scenarios.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/tip/The-future-of-AI-What-to-expect-in-the-next-5-years">technology is still developing</a>, so a complete overhaul to AI disaster response tools is unlikely for most organizations. However, there might be some processes within a disaster recovery strategy where AI can fit in and improve operations. Below are seven different areas of disaster response that might be aided by AI tools.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="1. DR scenario planning and testing"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>1. DR scenario planning and testing</h2> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/How-to-conduct-incident-response-tabletop-exercises">Tabletop exercises</a> are one of the most accurate and reliable methods of testing out a DR plan from start to finish. AI disaster recovery tools can help businesses create tabletop exercises, plan test scenarios and provide full-interruption testing to see how a DR plan will play out. These test simulations are a critical component of any DR plan, and properly trained AI tools can help make sure they are relevant, accurate and complete.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="2. Automated response and recovery"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>2. Automated response and recovery</h2> <p>AI can provide consistency, predictability and calculated automated responses in a disaster. This enables DR teams to act rapidly when an unexpected disruption occurs. In response to a crisis, AI can initiate failover actions, manage data replication and begin recovery processes.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="3. Log analysis and incident response"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>3. Log analysis and incident response</h2> <p>AI's ability to analyze <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/The-3-pillars-of-observability-Logs-metrics-and-traces">log files and traces</a> quickly and from multiple sources enables it to react swiftly to cybersecurity incidents, service interruptions due to natural disasters or misconfigurations that cascade across an organization's infrastructure.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WP6z_X5d-Rw?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="4. Communications management"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>4. Communications management</h2> <p>Communication is a critical component of any disaster response plan. Various stakeholders, law enforcement officials, first responders, employees and customers must be informed of service interruptions, safety concerns and other expectations.</p> <p>AI helps facilitate communication in several situations, including the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Automated notifications to relevant people and organizations.</li> <li>Message prioritization among stakeholders.</li> <li>Real-time status updates on websites and social media.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/tip/The-best-AI-chatbots-Compare-features-and-costs">Chatbots</a> to provide information and instructions if human support is unavailable.</li> <li>Social media monitoring for community sentiment, misinformation and influential voices.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5. Real-time monitoring and analysis"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5. Real-time monitoring and analysis</h2> <p>AI is capable of aggregating and parsing massive amounts of data quickly, ensuring effective monitoring during disasters. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/real-time-monitoring">Real-time monitoring</a> can even provide early warnings of impending incidents, including cyberattacks, major cloud outages or upcoming weather events.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="6. Prioritized restore processes"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>6. Prioritized restore processes</h2> <p>Highly complex multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments rely on interconnected services and communication paths. Prioritization helps make sure the most critical functions are restored first, which can be a difficult task even without a crisis actively taking place. AI can help restore these resources in the appropriate order to ensure full communication and functionality. Automated responses are rolled into this larger set of prioritized recovery steps to benefit from their consistency and speed.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="7. Continuous learning for future events"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>7. Continuous learning for future events</h2> <p>Until recently, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/tip/Risk-prediction-models-How-they-work-and-their-benefits">analyzing historical data for disaster recovery</a> was challenging. Sifting through natural disaster reports, looking for patterns in human mistakes and anticipating everything that could possibly go wrong is a complex task. AI can quickly analyze and draw conclusions from data to guide future DR plans.</p> <p>An AI platform's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dhs.gov/ai/use-case-inventory/fema" rel="noopener">ability to respond</a> to disasters will only improve over time as it gains access to more logs and incident responses. It will also benefit from the results of DR test exercises and accumulated data from other organizations.</p> <p><i>Damon Garn owns Cogspinner Coaction and provides freelance IT writing and editing services. He has written multiple CompTIA study guides, including the Linux+, Cloud Essentials+ and Server+ guides, and contributes extensively to Informa TechTarget and CompTIA Blogs.</i></p> </section> Responding to a disaster requires IT teams to move quickly, with no room for error. Find out how AI-based technology can help before, during and after a crisis. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/machine_learning_g1186820873.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/feature/Using-AI-for-disaster-response Mon, 24 Mar 2025 11:00:00 GMT <p>There are many fancy disaster recovery tools that provide exceptional functionality, but some use cases benefit from going back to the basics. That's where tools like rsync and scp come into play.</p> <p>Replicating files to satisfy recovery requirements is not a new concept. The rsync and scp tools transfer data between devices, enabling IT administrators to manage <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tutorial/Data-replication-technologies-and-disaster-recovery-planning-tutorial">secure and efficient replication</a>.</p> <p>Both tools are almost always installed on Linux systems. They are also installed by default on macOS, and integration options for Windows systems exist. This makes rsync and scp viable choices in today's multi-platform environments.</p> <p>Many systems permit TCP port 22, used for Secure Socket Shell (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/Secure-Shell">SSH</a>), which is the port scp relies on. Rsync uses port 22 if called with SSH, which it usually is. Otherwise, it depends on port 873. The point is that you probably don't have to reconfigure firewall settings to enable replication with either tool.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Synchronize files with rsync"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Synchronize files with rsync</h2> <p>Rsync is a synchronization <a target="_blank" href="https://linux.die.net/man/1/rsync" rel="noopener">tool</a> that is distinctive for its ability to send only changed files across the network rather than replicating existing unchanged files each time. It's a longtime staple in the Linux world, so learning to use it for disaster recovery is critical.</p> <p>Rsync uses the typical source-to-destination syntax used by other tools, such as cp and scp. Here are some of the available rsync options:</p> <table class="main-article-table"> <thead> <tr> <td style="width: 20%;">Option</td> <td style="width: 80%;">Description</td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 20%;"><samp>-a</samp></td> <td style="width: 80%;">Archive mode that preserves permissions, ownership, groups, timestamps and symlinks.</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 20%;"><samp>-v</samp></td> <td style="width: 80%;">Verbose mode that provides details on the data transfer.</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 20%;"><samp>-z</samp></td> <td style="width: 80%;">Compress mode that compresses files for more efficient transfers.</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 20%;"><samp>-h</samp></td> <td style="width: 80%;">Provides human-readable output.</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 20%;"><samp>-n</samp></td> <td style="width: 80%;">Dry run mode that simulates the transfer without actually accomplishing it, enabling administrators to test the command.</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>The dry run option is particularly helpful when testing recovery scripts.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Basic rsync syntax"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Basic rsync syntax</h2> <p>You can initiate the rsync replication to or from the local system, which is helpful if you're developing scripts to manage data transfers on your local system.</p> <p>A local-to-remote transfer places files stored on your server onto a remote system. If you have a large project directory to replicate to a remote office nightly, the syntax might look like the following:</p> <pre class="language-none"><code>rsync /devteam/projects/* devuser@remoteserver:/devprojects</code></pre> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_1-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_1-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_1-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_1-f.jpg 1280w" alt="Screenshot of syntax to move local files to a remote device with rsync." data-credit="Damon Garn" height="130" width="558"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Use rsync to push local files to a remote device. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>The <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/wildcard-certificate">wildcard</a> asterisk (<samp>*</samp>) has its typical meaning here, but with some caveats. It doesn't see hidden files or other files with nontypical attributes. Use the single dot character (<samp>.</samp>) to mean "this directory" to ensure you replicate hidden files. Be sure to use the <samp>-a</samp> option in tandem with <samp>*</samp> to grab all files.</p> <p>You can still use <samp>*</samp> to include specific files in the transfer, such as copying all files ending with <samp>.txt</samp> by typing <samp>*.txt</samp> in the path.</p> <p>This situation is a great example of why rsync dry runs are essential for <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/A-disaster-recovery-testing-strategy-is-key-to-successful-DR">testing a disaster recovery</a> configuration.</p> <p>If you have a remote system from which you're pulling files to your local server, type the following:</p> <pre class="language-none"><code>rsync devuser@remoteserver:/devprojects/* /devteam/projects</code></pre> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_2-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_2-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_2-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_2-f.jpg 1280w" alt="Screenshot of syntax to pull files on a remote device to the local system with rsync." data-credit="Damon Garn" height="130" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Use rsync to pull files on a remote device to the local system. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>In both cases above, devuser is an existing user account on the remote server with permissions to read and/or write to the directories.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Common use cases for rsync"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Common use cases for rsync</h2> <p>There are several areas of data protection and disaster recovery where rsync can be helpful. Consider the following use cases:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>You need to replicate incremental documentation updates from the central office to eight remote branch offices nightly.</li> <li>You need to deploy a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/When-to-use-a-mirrored-site-disaster-recovery">mirror of the production environment</a> in a failover or test situation.</li> <li>You need to centralize user files from six remote branch office servers to a single server in the central office nightly before running a backup program on the server.</li> <li>You need to maintain redundant copies of marketing multimedia files efficiently between three remote offices weekly without duplicating files.</li> <li>You need to maintain current configuration or data files on remote edge devices.</li> </ul> <p>Automating rsync's basic functionality with scripts and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/crontab">cron scheduling</a> enables administrators to manage data replication easily. This can help satisfy disaster recovery requirements as well as improve user access and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/Top-ten-ways-to-optimize-network-performance">network efficiency</a>.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Rsync integration with other operating systems"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Rsync integration with other operating systems</h2> <p>Do you work in a multi-platform environment consisting of Linux, Windows and macOS systems? Several options exist for integrating non-Linux operating systems into your rsync disaster recovery plans.</p> <p>Windows Servers can use the Windows Subsystem for Linux. Simply add a distribution, such as Ubuntu, and configure rsync as you would for any other Linux device. MacOS already contains rsync, so those systems are ready to participate immediately.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_3-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_3-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_3-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_3-f.jpg 1280w" alt="Screenshot of rsync installed on macOS." data-credit="Damon Garn" height="218" width="558"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Rsync is installed by default on macOS. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Copy files with scp"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Copy files with scp</h2> <p>Like rsync, scp is another old-timer in the software world, and with good reason. The scp tool is a straightforward and secure way to manage data transfers among multiple systems. It can be the transfer mechanism in scripted backup and recovery plans, especially when managing configuration files for services like Apache, Nginx and MariaDB.</p> <p>The scp program brings several advantages <a target="_blank" href="https://docs.sentinel.thalesgroup.com/softwareandservices/RMS/RMSDocumentation/SCP/SCP_Onprem_Win.htm" rel="noopener">if configured correctly</a>, including the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Secure transfers via OpenSSH using TCP port 22.</li> <li>Cross-platform functionality among Linux, macOS and Windows systems.</li> <li>Key-based authentication for greater security and easier automation without exposing passwords.</li> <li>Built-in file <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/answer/What-are-3-best-practices-for-compressed-backups">compression</a> for efficiency.</li> <li>Detailed logging for security audits and accountability.</li> </ul> <p>Scp's syntax is also straightforward, using the standard Linux "from here to there" designation, as in the following example:</p> <pre class="language-none"><code>scp options /path/to/source user@remoteserver:/path/to/destination</code></pre> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Basic scp syntax"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Basic scp syntax</h2> <p>As with rsync, scp can copy files from your local system to a remote destination or pull files from a remote device to your system. Either is appropriate, depending on your requirements.</p> <p>To push files from your system to a remote destination, use the following scp command:</p> <pre class="language-none"><code>scp /devteam/projects/* devuser@remoteserver:/devprojects</code></pre> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_4-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_4-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_4-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_4-f.jpg 1280w" alt="Screenshot of syntax to copy local files to a remote device with scp." data-credit="Damon Garn" height="131" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Use scp to copy local files to a remote device. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>Pulling files from a remote source is similar. Use the following command to accomplish it:</p> <pre class="language-none"><code>scp devuser@remoteserver:/devprojects/* /devteam/projects</code></pre> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_5-f.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_5-f_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_5-f_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/rsync_screenshot_5-f.jpg 1280w" alt="Screenshot of syntax to copy files on a remote device to the local system with scp." data-credit="Damon Garn" height="131" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Use scp to copy files on a remote device to the local system. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>These commands are easy to integrate into a backup script or other automation workflow to move files among disparate systems quickly and securely.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Common use cases for scp"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Common use cases for scp</h2> <p>Coming up with disaster recovery scenarios for scp that demonstrate its usefulness in day-to-day situations is easy. Here are a few areas where scp might help with recovery efforts:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>File transfers and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Compare-file-sync-vs-backup-for-data-protection">synchronization</a>.</li> <li>Backup.</li> <li>Software deployment.</li> <li>Configuration file management.</li> <li>Data migration.</li> </ul> <p>Scripts and other forms of automation regularly rely on scp's straightforward syntax to provide a zero-touch workflow.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Scp integration with other operating systems"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Scp integration with other operating systems</h2> <p>Like with rsync, scp is included in most Linux distributions and with macOS. Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2022 all include the OpenSSH package. This means users no longer need to add third-party software to their company's servers.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Best practices for scp"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Best practices for scp</h2> <p>Consider the following best practices when integrating scp into your disaster recovery plans:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Use key-based authentication.</li> <li>Enable logging and manage log files carefully.</li> <li>Enable compression for efficient storage and network transfers.</li> <li>Test the file copy functionality regularly.</li> <li>Update the file copy scripts after major infrastructure changes.</li> </ul> <p>Following these best practices with scp will help you maintain an efficient and reliable backup and recovery environment.</p> <p>A well-written <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/bash-Bourne-Again-Shell">Bash</a> script using rsync and scp can help any administrator move files around the network efficiently and securely, for disaster recovery or simple file management.</p> <p><i>Damon Garn owns Cogspinner Coaction and provides freelance IT writing and editing services. He has written multiple CompTIA study guides, including the Linux+, Cloud Essentials+ and Server+ guides, and contributes extensively to TechTarget Editorial and CompTIA Blogs.</i></p> </section> The rsync and scp tools are available to Linux, macOS and Windows users. These two simple utilities have several use cases for disaster recovery and data protection. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/folder-files11.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tutorial/How-to-use-rsync-and-scp-for-data-protection Mon, 30 Dec 2024 12:00:00 GMT <p>Emergency management has traditionally been based around pricey, purpose-built commercial applications. However, there are some open source alternatives available. Open source software is a natural fit for disaster management because, much like emergency response, open source tools are based on collaboration.</p> <p>Of course, there are many different aspects to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Decode-the-4-phases-of-emergency-management">emergency management</a>. Not surprisingly, the various open source emergency management software options vary widely from one another. Some are oriented toward <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/disaster-recovery-plan">disaster readiness planning</a>, while other tools are geared more toward emergency response or long-term recovery.</p> <p>To be included in this list, the software had to meet various criteria. First, only free and open source software was included on the list. While there are some excellent commercial disaster management tools available, they were not included.</p> <p>A second requirement was that all the included tools had to be able to help either plan for or recover from a disaster. This means that while a planning tool might be fair game, a tool that only serves to push information to social media would not be included because it does little to help with the actual recovery.</p> <p>Products are unranked, listed in alphabetical order.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Eden"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Eden</h2> <p>The Sahana Foundation's Eden software is not an application, but rather an open source, modular <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/codebase-code-base">codebase</a>. The core codebase contains modules for building an organizational directory, managing human resources and tracking where the greatest needs are. However, these are not the only modules. Other modules fall under categories such as Emergency, Health, Logistics, Population and Collaboration. Collectively, these modules enable organizations to track resources, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/What-is-risk-management-and-why-is-it-important">manage risks</a> and perform assessments, along with many other key tasks.</p> <p>The Sahana Foundation offers a free demo for businesses to see how they can use its open source emergency management software.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EtfdkP-JDAA?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="InaSafe"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>InaSafe</h2> <p>InaSafe is an open source project that was originally developed to help Indonesia assess the potential impact of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/natural-disaster-recovery">natural disasters</a>, such as volcanic eruptions or tsunamis. Over time, however, the software grew into a platform that can be used by anyone. The overall idea behind the software is that understanding the likely impact of a disaster makes it easier to plan for disaster preparedness and response. This is a familiar concept to IT disaster recovery teams.</p> <p>InaSafe uses data from a wide variety of sources. Hazard data, for example, is pulled from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/hazards.shtml" rel="noopener">government databases</a>, universities, community resources, science agencies and other public sources. Similarly, exposure data comes from governments, mapping agencies and national statistical agencies. Data is also sourced from other data repositories such as OpenStreetMap. This data can be used to plot evacuation and emergency response routes.</p> <p>The InaSafe interface is designed so that disaster data can be overlaid with mapping data. For example, the software could show the effects of a flood similar to the one that hit Jakarta in 2007. The simulation could then reveal affected areas and the damage that could be realistically expected from such an event. This is critical information that can be included in <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/answer/How-do-a-business-impact-analysis-and-risk-assessment-differ">risk assessments and business impact analyses</a>.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="OpenStreetMap"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>OpenStreetMap</h2> <p>The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team has created a global-scale, street-level map that is open source. While there are plenty of free road maps available online, such as Google Maps, there are a few things that make OpenStreetMap different.</p> <p>First, the maps produced by the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team are all community-created. Second, and most importantly, the maps are specifically intended for use in humanitarian and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/crisis-management">crisis management</a> situations. OpenStreetMap U.S., for example, is a nonprofit organization that uses the program to map areas within the U.S. Its Explore Projects page outlines current projects building map data for areas that have been affected by natural disasters.</p> <p>This tool is best suited to organizations that have data and staff in areas prone to natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornadoes.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="ThinkHazard"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>ThinkHazard</h2> <p>ThinkHazard is an open source tool that businesses can use to assess the primary risks that exist in a particular geographic area. A simple web interface lets users search for an area by name, then tells them if that area is prone to disasters such as hurricanes, volcanoes or wildfires.</p> <p>While the website does provide access to global hazard data, there is a corresponding open source tool available on GitHub. For organizations that are looking for <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Remote-disaster-recovery-presents-new-business-challenges">remote office or database locations</a>, this tool can be helpful to take disaster preparedness into account.</p> <p><i>Brien Posey is a 22-time Microsoft MVP and a commercial astronaut candidate. In his more than 30 years in IT, he has served as a lead network engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense and a network administrator for some of the largest insurance companies in America.</i></p> </section> Emergency management can be a hectic and expensive process. Open source tools can help keep costs down and pool information from a wide array of resources. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/map_globe_g1310544349.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Open-source-emergency-management-tools-for-DR-teams Wed, 02 Oct 2024 16:06:00 GMT <p>Preparing for and developing disaster recovery plans is time-consuming and resource-intensive. Open source software can be a good option in the right circumstances.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/open-source">Open source software</a> has source code that is made available to users and developers to work with as they want, with minimal to no penalties. Open source developers typically offer their products for free -- or a nominal fee with a license -- seek collaboration among users and make their products available to the general public.</p> <p>In terms of disaster recovery, open source software can address several important aspects of a DR strategy. It can help with the recovery, retrieval and restoration of systems and data, as well as aid in the creation of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Disaster-recovery-plan-best-practices-for-any-business">DR plan documents</a>.</p> <p>Should you use open source for enterprise disaster recovery? The answer to that will largely depend on the size of the organization. Large enterprises with multiple operating units and physical locations often need powerful DR technology to support the many different disruption scenarios that they might face. They might use open source for specific functions, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tutorial/Get-started-with-the-Kopia-backup-tool">backup</a> and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Open-source-data-recovery-software-options-to-consider">recovery of specific applications or user data</a>, but not as a major element of the DR plan.</p> <p>For the purposes of this article, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/feature/Disaster-recovery-for-small-businesses-leaves-no-room-for-excuses">small and medium-sized businesses</a> are considered more likely candidates for the use of open source disaster recovery products.</p> <p>In addition to company size, there are several other factors to consider before using open source software for disaster recovery. Available features, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsoftwarequality/news/252527749/Small-open-source-projects-pose-significant-security-risks">security risks</a> and even potential hidden costs are angles DR and IT teams must look at before deciding if open source is the right option.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How does open source software aid DR?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How does open source software aid DR?</h2> <p>Prospective users must perform the necessary due diligence and try out demonstration systems before committing to open source software. Perhaps the most important DR activity is data backup and recovery, and most open source products offer that as a primary capability. Add to that access controls that prevent unauthorized access to systems and data, and the two features can be found in most products.</p> <p>Adequate <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/data-protection">data protection</a> is critical to disaster recovery. The three attributes for data protection that IT teams must consider are confidentiality, integrity and availability. The first ensures that the information is blocked from access by unauthorized users; the second ensures that the data content is not changed or altered without authorization; and the third protects data so that it is available to those who have authorized access.</p> <p>Assuming the product supports the above criteria, data protection concerns can be effectively addressed with open source software.</p> <p>The emergence of open source tools to help create systems <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/news/366566487/US-agencies-preparing-open-source-AI-assessment-standards">using AI and machine learning</a> is also gaining traction. As part of the process, developers start with an open source platform and then train the system to suit their requirements. Organizations looking to incorporate AI and machine learning into DR processes might consider using open source for this purpose.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What to look for in an open source product"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What to look for in an open source product</h2> <p>Organizations must define user requirements before researching potential open source options. Ideally, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Use-backup-encryption-to-protect-data-from-would-be-thieves">tools that provide encryption</a> of data at rest and when data is in motion provide the best security. Many available tools offer encryption; be sure to check whether this applies to data at rest and data in motion.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Organizations must define user requirements before researching potential open source options. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>Assuming security criteria are met, pricing, additional features, service and support, and access to technical assistance become the deciding factors. A <a target="_blank" href="https://stackoverflow.blog/2023/11/08/the-product-approach-to-open-source-communities/" rel="noopener">community</a> of users is also an important factor, as it means the software has a strong base of expertise and support.</p> <p>Open source software helps keep the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/A-disaster-recovery-budget-template-A-free-download-and-guide">costs for business continuity and disaster recovery</a> planning and development under control for smaller organizations, but if cost is a major factor, be sure to do research. Check carefully with open source companies to confirm just how "free" their products are. For example, open source products that address DR issues for containerized applications, such as those that use Kubernetes, might require a fee in addition to a license that specifies how much the purchaser can do with the software.</p> <p><i>Paul Kirvan is an independent consultant, IT auditor, technical writer, editor and educator. He has more than 25 years of experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, security, enterprise risk management, telecom and IT auditing.</i></p> </section> With research and planning, businesses can benefit from using open source software for enterprise DR. But IT teams must be mindful of hidden costs and data protection capabilities. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/check_g530502390.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Should-you-use-open-source-for-enterprise-disaster-recovery Mon, 29 Jul 2024 13:00:00 GMT <p>IT teams that implement a technology disaster recovery plan hope they never have to use it. However, never running a disaster recovery plan through a crisis can mean an untested strategy and the risk of the DR plan failing. No organization wants to face a disruption, but IT teams must not be caught by surprise if one does occur.</p> <p>The unpredictable nature of threats like <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Ten-business-continuity-risks-to-monitor-in-2018">ransomware and natural disasters</a> means they can strike at any moment, even if an organization hasn't dealt with them before. If a major disruption to IT infrastructure resources never occurs, the organization might not know for certain that its plan will work.</p> <p>To adequately understand the importance of a tested <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/disaster-recovery-plan">disaster recovery plan</a>, IT teams must know the causes of DR plan failure. In addition to guidance on constructing a DR plan, below you'll find 13 common reasons why a DR plan might fail and how to avoid them.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Importance of DR planning"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Importance of DR planning</h2> <p>While most IT organizations accept that a DR plan can help in an emergency, they can never be totally certain it will work as needed, or if the systems and people will perform as intended.</p> <p>DR planning aims to ensure IT infrastructure elements -- including hardware, software, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/What-to-include-in-a-network-disaster-recovery-plan-checklist">network services</a>, environmental systems, physical security, cybersecurity, utility services and people -- are safe from a disruptive event. If properly protected by a DR strategy, these critical elements can subsequently return to previous operations.</p> <p>In a data center, DR typically addresses multiple elements, including the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Backup, recovery, replacement and restoration of hardware devices.</li> <li>Backup, recovery and restoration of network services.</li> <li>Backup, recovery, retrieval and reinstatement of systems and data.</li> <li>Recovery and restoration of physical facilities used by the data center.</li> <li>Recovery and restoration of utility services, such as power and water.</li> <li>Recovery of IT personnel and their return to their previous roles.</li> </ul> <p>In practice, the above issues might be addressed by a single DR plan. IT teams can also develop individual plans for specific mission-critical resources. The former option describes how to restore IT operations at a high level, while individual plans go into the details of recovering, restarting, testing and validating resources before they return to production status.</p> <p>In short, the high-level plan describes procedures to recover and restore IT operations, and assumes that the practical details will be addressed by subject matter experts within the IT department. In theory, this approach should work, unless the incident occurs outside the scenarios presented as part of the high-level DR plan.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ipf3nXsgC3M?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What if the DR plan fails?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What if the DR plan fails?</h2> <p>When building DR plans, it is important to take an all-hazards approach while considering potential disruptive events. This increases the likelihood that procedures described in plans will perform as needed -- or at least will help mitigate the severity of the incident.</p> <p>But what if the above DR planning and recovery initiatives do not work as anticipated?</p> <p>First, when developing plans, IT teams must consider the issue of DR plan failure. For example, suppose the strategy for protecting servers is to have an inventory of devices ready to replace damaged units. When was the last time the reserve servers were tested? If the backup servers do not work, for whatever reason, then recovery is jeopardized. The same goes for major business systems. If the backup app is not available, or cannot be obtained in a timely fashion, the organization's business -- and reputation -- might be adversely affected.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What can cause a DR plan failure?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What can cause a DR plan failure?</h2> <p>Ideally, IT teams identify the risks and threats to important resources, as well as the impact to the business if those resources are disabled, in the plan development phase. Activities in this phase, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/answer/How-do-a-business-impact-analysis-and-risk-assessment-differ">risk assessments and business impact analyses</a>, can provide essential data for plan development and help avoid potential failures. These analyses and assessments can also identify the priorities for resource recovery and restoration, enabling a smooth and orderly recovery.</p> <p>Recognizing the above realities of DR plan development and execution, the following are 13 common reasons that a DR plan might fail. Each is an element of the overall DR planning process.</p> <ol class="default-list"> <li><b>Lack of senior management support and funding.</b> This is often the most important activity in the process, as lack of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Tips-for-obtaining-BC-DR-plan-and-resilience-funding">management support and funding</a> can limit the development of DR plans. This can result in an organization <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Reasons-businesses-have-no-DR-plan-and-why-theyre-wrong">not implementing a plan at all</a> or having an incomplete plan.</li> <li><b>Not involving the right people in the planning process.</b> The DR team typically includes technology staff and should also include employees charged with overall responsibility for the DR process. Third-party experts might also be part of the team.</li> <li><b>Tech issues.</b> Technology problems, such as software issues or insufficient backups, are a common reason why a DR plan failed. IT teams must conduct sufficient research and analysis to determine the most cost-effective fixes to technology recovery issues. They should also know when these elements require an update or replacement.</li> <li><b>Failure to regularly test plans.</b> <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/A-disaster-recovery-testing-strategy-is-key-to-successful-DR">Testing is a critical activity</a> because it validates that the procedures defined in the plan will work as intended. It also identifies potential failure points before they can affect a real recovery.</li> <li><b>Failure to conduct a post-test review and update the plan based on the test.</b> Once a test is complete, the next step is to review what worked and what did not work. IT teams must update plans to reflect the lessons learned and, if possible, perform follow-up tests to validate the changes.</li> <li><b>Not communicating the plan throughout the organization.</b> Employees must be aware that programs exist to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the IT resources they use and know <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessroundtable.org/archive/media/news-releases/tips-for-communicating-to-employees-during-a-disaster" rel="noopener">what they should do</a> when an incident occurs.</li> <li><b>Insufficient DR team training.</b> Knowledge of how to recover and restore disrupted resources -- whether internally or externally implemented -- must be communicated and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Establish-a-business-continuity-team-to-get-the-full-picture">regularly reinforced through training</a> to ensure DR teams are prepared to respond in an emergency.</li> <li><b>Lack of employee training for a DR event.</b> In addition to making employees aware of DR activities, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Developing-a-disaster-recovery-and-business-continuity-training-program">periodic training</a> is recommended so that employees will know what to do if a technology disruption occurs.</li> <li><b>System changes that are not reflected in a revised DR plan.</b> Whenever changes to mission-critical systems and resources occur, they must be reflected in DR plans, especially if procedures for recovery and restoration change.</li> <li><b>Lack of regular patching of mission-critical systems.</b> Failure to keep up on patching can result in unintended system disruptions. For example, not installing cybersecurity system patches can result in undetected malware attacks.</li> <li><b>Failure to include DR activities in IT staff meetings.</b> If DR is not a regular activity, it can be easily forgotten. A DR agenda item in IT staff meetings is advisable.</li> <li><b>Failure to review and assess the plan and its associated activities.</b> In addition to live system testing, it is good practice to periodically review and assess DR plans -- of all types -- to ensure they are up to date and actionable.</li> <li><b>Failure to determine what constitutes a "failed" plan.</b> It is important to determine what failure is for DR planning so that the key elements are properly addressed and the plan is regularly tested.</li> </ol> <p>Executing the above steps can help reduce the likelihood that DR plans will fail when an emergency occurs.</p> <p><i>Paul Kirvan is an independent consultant, IT auditor, technical writer, editor and educator. He has more than 25 years of experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, security, enterprise risk management, telecom and IT auditing.</i></p> </section> Preventing failure is an important goal for DR teams, but disasters do not conform to how plans are designed. Familiarity with the causes of failure can help bolster a DR plan. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/disaster_recovery_a78784722.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Understand-the-costs-of-a-disaster-recovery-failure Thu, 11 Jul 2024 16:30:00 GMT <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is network load balancing (NLB)?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is network load balancing (NLB)?</h2> <p>Network <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/load-balancing">load balancing</a> (NLB) is a feature in multiple versions of the Microsoft Windows Server operating system (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/operating-system-OS">OS</a>), Amazon Web Services (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchaws/definition/Amazon-Web-Services">AWS</a>) and other <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitchannel/definition/cloud-service-provider-cloud-provider">cloud service providers</a> that distribute network traffic among multiple servers or virtual machines (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/virtual-machine-VM">VMs</a>) within a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/cluster">cluster</a> to avoid overloading any one host and improve performance.</p> <p>Network load balancing is a capability provided in most public clouds and cloud services, including AWS, and the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchwindowsserver/definition/Microsoft-Windows-Server-OS-operating-system">Windows Server OS</a>. A network load balancer disburses processing loads and network traffic across multiple targets, such as servers or instances, by opening a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/TCP">TCP</a> connection to the selected targets.</p> <p>In Windows, NLB can be used to manage two or more servers as one virtual cluster. In AWS, the NLB feature distributes incoming traffic across multiple targets, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchaws/definition/Amazon-EC2-instances">Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud instances</a>.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y-4zEpfQ-sw?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why is network load balancing used?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why is network load balancing used?</h2> <p>NLB is used to distribute or balance network traffic across multiple servers or VMs. In doing so, it prevents the overloading of any single host. It also increases the reliability and performance of applications, mission-critical servers and other targets. Network load balancing can be used on <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/Web-server">web servers</a>, File Transfer Protocol servers, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/proxy-server">proxy servers</a>, firewall servers and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/virtual-private-network">virtual private networks</a>.</p> <p>NLB is especially useful for stateless applications, such as web servers running <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchwindowsserver/definition/IIS">Internet Information Services</a>. By seamlessly routing traffic and distributing server load to available hosts, NLB ensures these services remain highly available with minimal downtime.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-load_balancing.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-load_balancing_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-load_balancing_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/networking-load_balancing.png 1280w" alt="How load balancing works diagram." height="336" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>A diagram explaining the process of load balancing across various servers. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Network load balancing at OSI Layer 4 and Layer 7"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Network load balancing at OSI Layer 4 and Layer 7</h2> <p>NLB is available at both the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/Transport-layer">transport layer</a> and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/Application-layer">application layer</a> of the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/OSI">OSI</a> (Open Systems Interconnection) network model. The transport layer, or Layer 4, manages communications and data transfers between hosts and endpoints, supports <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/definition/QoS-Quality-of-Service">quality of service</a> functions, and manages end-to-end error recovery. The application layer, or Layer 7, enables applications to communicate with each other on different computer systems and networks.</p> <p>In the transport layer, NLB does not need to use complex routing protocols or encrypt/decrypt traffic to make routing decisions. If anything, it uses simple <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/algorithm">algorithms</a> such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/round-robin">round robin</a> routing to quickly and efficiently perform packet-level load balancing, while easily handling millions of routing requests per second. NLB only needs information about the protocol, source ports and destination ports to route packets. It cannot inspect or decrypt messages, and therefore cannot route traffic based on more complex criteria, such as localization rules or media type.</p> <p>More complex NLB is possible in the OSI application layer. In this layer, the load balancer inspects the contents of each message and makes more granular routing and forwarding decisions based on that information. It can also <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/Where-cloud-cryptography-fits-in-a-security-strategy">decrypt messages</a>, terminate sessions, cache frequently accessed content and initiate new TCP sessions to upstream servers. Owing to all these capabilities, Layer 7 NLB supports intelligent routing, more efficient traffic distribution and easier content retrieval.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/network_load_balancing_vs_application_load_balancing-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/network_load_balancing_vs_application_load_balancing-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/network_load_balancing_vs_application_load_balancing-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/network_load_balancing_vs_application_load_balancing-f.png 1280w" alt="Network load balancing vs. application load balancing table." height="364" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Network load balancing happens at Layer 4, the transport layer, of the OSI network model, while application load balancing happens at Layer 7, the application layer. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Network load balancing in Windows Server"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Network load balancing in Windows Server</h2> <p>The NLB feature is available in Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019 and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchwindowsserver/definition/Microsoft-Windows-Server-2016">Windows Server 2016</a>. In all these OSes, NLB combines multiple computers or servers, known as hosts, into a single virtual cluster. Each host runs a separate copy of the server OS.</p> <p>Windows NLB routes incoming client requests to these different hosts in the cluster based on an administrator's settings and a proprietary Microsoft distribution algorithm. It can also direct all traffic to a single default host. Regardless of which host it routes traffic to, NLB in Windows Server uses the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/TCP-IP">TCP/IP</a> networking protocol to enable the routing. Also, all NLB operations are transparent to the TCP/IP stack.</p> <p>Windows Server provides the flexibility to configure the NLB according to a user's or an organization's needs. For example, administrators can articulate the maximum load that a given host can handle. If the load increases -- or is expected to increase -- admins can add hosts to the cluster as needed.</p> <p>In Windows Server, systems administrators and network administrators can manage the network load balancing feature through Microsoft's NLB Manager or with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/cmdlet">PowerShell cmdlets</a>. In addition, all NLB events and cluster changes are documented in the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchwindowsserver/definition/Windows-event-log">Windows Event Log</a>, which further helps with the management of NLB in Windows Server.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Network load balancing in Amazon Web Services"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Network load balancing in Amazon Web Services</h2> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchaws/definition/elastic-load-balancing">AWS Elastic Load Balancing</a> supports network load balancing alongside other types of load balancers, such as application load balancers and gateway load balancers. Administrators are free to choose the load balancers they need for their specific requirements.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchaws/definition/AWS-Network-Load-Balancer-NLB">AWS Network Load Balancer</a> consists of a listener and a target group. The listener's role is to detect connection requests from clients and then forward those requests to the target group. The target group receives the request from the listener and then routes it to a registered target using TCP, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/UDP-User-Datagram-Protocol">UDP</a>, TCP_UDP or <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/Transport-Layer-Security-TLS">TLS</a>. The user must specify the protocol and port number before the target group can route the connection request to the registered target. NLB selects the target using a flow hash algorithm and various parameters, such as the protocol, source IP address and port, and destination IP address and port.</p> <p>In AWS, NLB distributes traffic among registered targets across load balancer availability zones (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchaws/definition/availability-zones">AZs</a>) by default. However, if the user enables cross-zone load balancing, NLB can distribute traffic across registered targets in all enabled AZs.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/evolution_of_aws_load_balancing-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/evolution_of_aws_load_balancing-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/evolution_of_aws_load_balancing-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/evolution_of_aws_load_balancing-f.png 1280w" alt="Evolution of AWS load balancing timeline." height="301" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>This timeline shows the history and evolution of AWS load balancing. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What are the benefits of network load balancing?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What are the benefits of network load balancing?</h2> <p>Network load balancing has several use cases and advantages. By distributing network traffic across multiple servers or VMs, traffic can be processed faster than by flowing through a single server.</p> <p>The feature can also enable an organization to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/A-guide-to-cloud-capacity-planning-for-unexpected-spikes">quickly scale up a service</a>, such as a web server, by adding hosts and then distributing the traffic among the new hosts. Similarly, if demand decreases, servers can be taken offline, and NLB will rebalance traffic among the remaining hosts. If a host within a cluster fails, network load balancing can also avoid service disruptions by rerouting traffic to other available hosts.</p> <p>In summary, there are several benefits of NLB:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>It provides improved application availability, delivery, performance and scalability.</li> <li>If a host fails or goes offline, the load is automatically redistributed among the other available hosts within a few seconds to minimize downtime and prevent application failure.</li> <li>Systems can be added easily to existing clusters to handle additional load and satisfy new performance demands.</li> <li>Administrators can perform preventive maintenance activities on hosts without disturbing the other hosts.</li> <li>It supports <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/static-IP-address">static IP addresses</a>, automatic addition of hosts to a cluster and configuration of multiple independent clusters on each host.</li> </ul> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-1" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jlp8HL_iIqo?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p><em>Check out <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/feature/3-best-practices-to-achieve-high-availability-in-cloud-computing">best practices to achieve high availability in cloud computing</a>, read about <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Virtual-network-load-balancing-tools-and-tips">virtual network load balancing tools and tips</a> and explore the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/answer/Load-sharing-vs-load-balancing-Whats-the-difference">differences between load sharing vs. load balancing</a>. See how to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Configure-Azure-Load-Balancer-for-session-persistence">configure Azure Load Balancer for session persistence</a> and check out <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchapparchitecture/tip/Some-tricks-to-help-manage-load-balancing-in-microservices">tricks to help manage load balancing in microservices</a>.</em></p> </section> Network load balancing (NLB) is a feature in multiple versions of the Microsoft Windows Server operating system (OS), Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other cloud service providers that distribute network traffic among multiple servers or virtual machines (VMs) within a cluster to avoid overloading any one host and improve performance. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/digdeeper/1.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/Network-Load-Balancing-NLB Wed, 15 Nov 2023 11:00:00 GMT <p>The success of business continuity and disaster recovery programs hinges on proper employee training. Organizations that design training into BCDR programs maximize the value and effectiveness of these initiatives and ensure that employees are ready to respond to a crisis.</p> <p>Training and education are essential activities in the business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) and emerging resilience professions. This fact is cited in section 7.2 of the international standard <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/ISO-223012019-vs-previous-versions-Whats-changed">ISO 22301:2019 Security and resilience</a> -- Business continuity management systems -- Requirements: "The organization shall ensure that [resilience professionals] are competent on the basis of appropriate education, training or experience." Section 7.3 of the standard also encourages that organizations raise awareness of BCDR programs.</p> <p>Disaster recovery training for employees can extend beyond the members of resilience teams. This awareness encourages a company culture of building and maintaining business continuity and wider participation in recovery efforts.</p> <p>There are three keys to create and maintain a BCDR training program:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>establish the program format, tools and desired outcomes;</li> <li>determine the BCDR skills and activities included in the training; and</li> <li>track benchmarks to ensure progress.</li> </ul> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Organizations with their own intranet and employee webpages can introduce a BCDR webpage that describes the internal training program and what it does. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <h3>Successful training programs need internal support</h3> <p>Business continuity and disaster recovery training initiatives need senior management support and funding. Visible and frequent endorsements and encouragement from senior management raise awareness of and increase participation in these specialized training programs.</p> <p>The next key strategy is to engage human resources (HR) in the training process. This department has the expertise to organize, coordinate and conduct formal employee training. They can also support activities that promote awareness, such as department briefings and messages on employee bulletin boards. Encourage HR to include BCDR and resilience training in new employee orientation programs. Requiring all employees -- not just BCDR and resilience teams -- to participate in at least one training session reinforces the importance of these activities and can move the organization toward a culture of resilience.</p> <p>Organizations with their own intranet and employee webpages can introduce a BCDR site that describes the internal training program and what it does. This page can include sections on the training process, frequently asked questions, training schedules, and links to forms, services and other useful materials.</p> <p>Regularly communicate the BCDR training program and its activities to employees and senior management. Messages should be informative and educational and reinforce the company's commitment to the program and its value.</p> <h3>Build a BCDR training program for employees</h3> <p>Following is a list of activities to build a BCDR training program:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>conduct a needs analysis to identify training requirements;</li> <li>prepare a training policy and have it reviewed and approved by senior management, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/answer/What-5-skills-should-a-disaster-recovery-team-leader-have">BCDR/resilience leadership</a>, HR and other key departments;</li> <li>assess existing staff competencies and understanding, in coordination with HR;</li> <li>define desired outcomes and metrics for success from the training program;</li> <li>establish an ongoing training and awareness program, with approved procedures;</li> <li>develop training tools and content using needs analysis results, and partner with HR and other internal training resources;</li> <li>develop, schedule and deliver various types of training programs, such as classes, instructional guides and templates;</li> <li>identify internal and external trainers, validate their teaching credentials and arrange for appropriate train-the-trainer programs;</li> <li>communicate information about the training program to employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders;</li> <li>establish and use metrics to identify training focus areas;</li> <li>capture and analyze employee comments and feedback on the training program; and</li> <li>keep records of staff training and awareness activities.</li> </ul> <h3>Identify relevant skills, activities and strategies</h3> <p>Business continuity and disaster recovery training for employees looks mostly the same from one organization to another. Organizations of all types and sizes must perform standard assessments, activities and exercises to establish and maintain resilience.</p> <p>BCDR skills and activities essential to include in a training program include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>how to perform a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/feature/Using-a-business-impact-analysis-BIA-template-A-free-BIA-template-and-guide">business impact analysis</a>;</li> <li>how to conduct a <a href="https://searchcompliance.techtarget.com/definition/risk-assessment">risk analysis</a>;</li> <li>how to prepare a BCDR/resilience plan;</li> <li>emergency response activities, such as assessment and evacuation;</li> <li>specialized operational recovery activities, such as how to recover data and business applications to hot/cold alternate sites, launch remote work with a VPN and/or third-party-managed emergency services, and exercise BC/DR/resilience plans;</li> <li>how to initiate work area recovery and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Remote-business-continuity-techniques-to-implement-now">remote work</a>;</li> <li>responding to specialized situations, including extended business disruptions as seen with the COVID-19 global pandemic;</li> <li>coordination with first responders and law enforcement organizations;</li> <li>return-to-normal activities, especially collocated <a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/governance-insights-center/library/covid-19-returning-workplace-boards.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in-office work</a>; and</li> <li>restoration of business systems and processes.</li> </ul> <h3>Use benchmarks to track progress</h3> <p>Organizations can use several benchmarks to ensure that a BCDR training program is effective. When BCDR team leaders track this data they can use the results to show upper management that training is successful, or update the training to fill any gaps.</p> <p>Tips to benchmark a BCDR training program include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>compare the training program with other programs at other organizations;</li> <li>compare internal programs with third-party training programs;</li> <li>periodically survey employees to determine their level of awareness of the program;</li> <li>apply lessons learned from actual disasters;</li> <li>link training activities to annual performance and compensation reviews;</li> <li>provide department managers with monthly status updates on training and related awareness activities; and</li> <li>examine BC/DR/resilience training programs available from consulting firms, equipment vendors, and cloud service and managed service providers as enhancements to your program.</li> </ul> A BCDR training program teaches employees key skills, such as how to conduct risk assessments, coordinate emergency response with first responders and restore business processes. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/disaster_recovery_g518179608.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Developing-a-disaster-recovery-and-business-continuity-training-program Tue, 29 Jun 2021 15:46:00 GMT <p><a href="http://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/editorial/Emergency%20Call%20Tree%20Contact%20Information.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>Following a disaster, one of your first priorities should be to notify employees and relevant personnel of the status of the organization and how to proceed. Establishing an emergency phone tree -- where a designated call tree leader phones a small number of other employees, who are then responsible for notifying others -- enables an organization to contact many people in a relatively short amount of time.</p> <p>This is especially important after a disaster when next steps -- such as information concerning building evacuations, employee relocation and status checks for important equipment, for example -- must be communicated quickly.</p> <p>While considered a bit outdated in this age of mass text messages and automated emergency systems, a phone tree enables direct, two-way notifications between employees and is a time-tested approach to communication.</p> <p>This article provides the information needed to implement an emergency phone tree and discusses the benefits and limitations of the process. Our free downloadable template will help you diagram your own call tree.</p> <h3><span>How to set one up</span></h3> <p>In a typical emergency phone tree, a designated call leader launches the phone tree by contacting the next people on the list. Those recipients then notify others, and the process is repeated until everyone has been contacted. In large organizations, each person is usually responsible for calling at least two others. An alternate call tree lead should be designated in case the lead is not available following the disaster.</p> <p>All contact information should be detailed in an incident response plan, updated as changes occur and kept on record in the HR department.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/disaster_recovery-call_tree_preparing.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/disaster_recovery-call_tree_preparing_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/disaster_recovery-call_tree_preparing_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/disaster_recovery-call_tree_preparing.jpg 1280w" alt="Call tree process" height="416" width="560"> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>Information conveyed in the emergency phone tree should be brief, but thorough. Because it is a time-consuming process, ideally, all of the necessary information should be contained in the first message. As the call tree goes on, staff may not know any information outside of what is contained in the call, so everyone should be provided with enough information to answer any potential questions.</p> <p>Members of the phone tree should also be informed what to do in the event that someone is unresponsive to all methods of communication or unable to perform any next steps. A central contact should be in place to report that information.</p> <h3><span>Benefits of having one</span></h3> <p>Using a call tree as part of an <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/Free-incident-response-plan-template-for-disaster-recovery-planners">incident response strategy</a> establishes a clear and easy-to-use system. As long as the contact information is kept current, a call tree is an effective way of communicating with a large number of employees. Because each staff member only has to contact one or two additional employees, information can be conveyed quickly, without overloading one person or system.</p> <div class="imagecaption alignRight"> <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/pro/How-to-create-an-emergency-phone-tree-and-template?Offer=Content_OTHR-Edit_OTHR-Template_04/02/2020_phonetree"><img src="https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/storage-phone_tree_template.png" alt="free emergency phone<br /> tree template"></a>Click on the above image <br> to download our free emergency <br> phone tree template. </div> <p>Unlike most automated messages, a phone tree also enables two-way communication between the caller and recipient. If an employee does not answer a call or has information to report back about their status, that can be conveyed.</p> <p>This method of communication in an <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/answer/What-are-vital-elements-of-a-workplace-emergency-response-plan">emergency response</a> is also effective in creating a communal source of information for members of an organization. A call is more personable than an automated message and signifies that an organization is invested in the welfare of its staff.</p> <h3><span>Limitations</span></h3> <p>While effective, call trees are subject to human error. If an employee is unclear as to whom they are supposed to contact or they forget to initiate the call, the next person on the list may never be notified of the event. Depending on the type of emergency, some participants in the call tree may even be unable to make or receive calls if they have been evacuated or are unable to use their phone. If employees are unable to reach someone after multiple attempts, they should contact the call tree leader to inform them of the issue.</p> <p>In addition, a process for tracking the progress of the calling tree should be implemented to ensure that calls have gone out and that people have responded to them. If there is no indication that an employee has responded to a call, other methods of communication can then be attempted.</p> <h3><span>Alternatives</span></h3> <p>Possible lapses or breaks in a calling tree can often be reduced or eliminated by automating the process. An automated emergency notification system sends audio messages or text, simultaneously to cellphones, landlines, email addresses and SMS contacts. These systems keep track of all calls and responses and can flag system administrators if individuals have not responded after a preset number of tries. Following an incident, the system can also provide a report as to how it performed.</p> <p>Emergency notification systems can be in-house devices, often rackmounted, that can be programmed to generate many outgoing notification messages to preprogrammed contacts stored in databases. They can also be managed services, in which the user accesses the emergency notification system via a phone call or the internet. These systems come at a variety of price points to suit the needs of different organizations.</p> <p>Mass texts are an increasingly common form of emergency message communication because they enable organizations to <a href="https://www.openmarket.com/blog/safe-and-secure-can-sms-protect-your-employees-in-an-emergency/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">send out detailed facts</a> about an emergency. While mass text messages are a faster alternative to an emergency phone tree, they offer no guarantee that all intended recipients have seen or read the message. Automated systems may be enabled to collect information about who has received and read the information, but they cannot gather information as to why someone did not respond. Since gathering that information would likely involve a call to follow up, using an emergency phone tree might be a more efficient process in the long run.</p> 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. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/searchEnterpriseWAN/infrastructure/enterprisewan_article_004.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/answer/Creating-a-call-tree-plan-for-emergency-communications Wed, 31 Oct 2018 09:00:00 GMT <p>Microsoft’s primary tool for deploying updates is the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchwindowsserver/definition/Windows-Server-Update-Services-WSUS">Windows Server Update Service</a> (WSUS). What some administrators don’t realize is that WSUS can also remove buggy patches from client computers (assuming that WSUS was used to deploy the update).</p> <p>If you have never noticed a “Remove” button in WSUS, it’s possibly because WSUS’ patch removal process is a little bit counter-intuitive. Before you can remove a patch, you must first approve a patch for removal. To do so, open the “Update Services” console and expand the “Updates” container. Select the sub-container containing the update and then locate the patch that you want to remove.</p> <p>Now, right-click the patch that you want to approve for removal and choose the “Approve” option from the resulting shortcut menu. This will cause WSUS to display the “Approve Updates” dialog box. Then right click on the computer group from which you want to remove the patch and then choose the “Approve for Removal” option from the resulting dialog box.</p> <div class="figure figSmall figResizeable"> <a href="#" class="toggleSize"><img src="https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineImages/C1GC233796_PatchRemovalA.jpg" alt="Approve Updates"></a> <div class="figCaption"> <b>Figure A</b> </div> </div> <p>Before I move on, there is one important thing that I want to point out about the technique that I just described. If you look at Figure A, you will notice that the “Approve for Removal” option is grayed out. The reason for this is that some patches cannot be removed once they have been installed (there is a workaround described below). If you look at the bottom of the dialog box shown in the figure, you can see that WSUS actually tells you that the selected update does not support removal.</p> <p>Some patches cannot be removed.</p> <p><b>Expediting the removal process</b></p> <p>If you decide to remove a patch, you will want the patch to be removed quickly. Thankfully, Windows Server Update Service provides a way to expedite this process.</p> <p>If you look back at Figure A, you will notice a “Deadline” option on the shortcut menu. If this particular patch supported removal, the “Deadline” option could be used to specify how quickly the patch should be removed. When you click on the “Deadline” option you are presented with options such as One Week, Two Weeks, etc., but there is also an option to set a custom deadline. If you want the patch to be removed quickly, you can create a custom deadline and specify a date that is in the past.</p> <p><b>Manually removing a patch</b></p> <p>If you are not able to use Windows Server Update Service to remove a patch, most patches can be manually removed from severs or workstations on which they were deployed. The exact method of removing an unwanted patch varies depending on the operating system that is being used.</p> <div class="figure figSmall figResizeable"> <a href="#" class="toggleSize"><img src="https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineImages/C1GC233796_PatchRemovalB.jpg" alt="Installed Updates"></a> <div class="figCaption"> <b>Figure B</b> </div> </div> <p>You can manually remove an unwanted patch from a server running Windows Server 2008 R2 by opening the Control Panel, clicking on “Uninstall a Program,” clicking on “View Installed Updates”, selecting the update that you want to remove, and then clicking the “Uninstall” button. You can see what this looks like in Figure B.</p> <p>You can manually remove a patch from a server.</p> <p>If you decide to remove a patch in this way, be sure to configure WSUS (or any other patching solution that you might be using) not to distribute the patch. Otherwise, the patch might be automatically reinstalled.</p> <p><b>System rollback</b></p> <p>As you saw earlier, some patches do not support removal. If you need to remove such a patch from a server, you will probably have to restore from a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/">backup</a>. However, if you need to remove a patch from a workstation running <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterprisedesktop/definition/Windows-7">Windows 7</a> and the patch can’t be removed through the normal means then you might be able to remove the patch by using the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitchannel/feature/Using-system-properties-to-configure-Windows-7-options">System Protection</a> feature.</p> <div class="figure figSmall figResizeable"> <a href="#" class="toggleSize"><img src="https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineImages/C1GC233796_PatchRemovalC.jpg" alt="System Properties"></a> <div class="figCaption"> <b>Figure C</b> </div> </div> <p>System Protection is an option that allows a computer to be reverted to an earlier point in time by rolling back changes that have occurred. You can access this feature by clicking the “Start” button, right-clicking on the “Computer” menu option, and then choosing the “Properties” command from the shortcut menu. Doing so reveals the System Properties sheet. Now just click on the “System Protection” link to access the System Protection feature, as shown in Figure C.</p> <p>The System Protection feature allows you to roll a Windows 7 PC back to an earlier point in time. From this point, you can simply click the “System Restore” button and then use the System Restore Wizard to select a recovery point to restore, as shown in Figure D.</p> <div class="figure figSmall figResizeable"> <a href="#" class="toggleSize"><img src="https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineImages/C1GC233796_PatchRemovalD.jpg" alt="System Restore"></a> <div class="figCaption"> <b>Figure D</b> </div> </div> <p>Choose the restore point that you want to recover.</p> <p><b>Conclusion</b></p> <p>As you can see, there are several different options for removing buggy patches. Even so, it is better to thoroughly test patches before you deploy them than to try to remove buggy patches later on.</p> This tip offers information about how to remove a bad software patch using Microsoft Microsoft Windows Server Update Service. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/digdeeper/5.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Removing-a-bad-patch-using-Microsoft-Windows-Server-Update-Service Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:45:52 GMT 60 webmaster@techtarget.com