The DRP or Disaster Recovery Plan, more topical than ever

The Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is an essential document for any company wishing to protect itself against the risks of business interruption at any time. Whether it's a natural disaster, a cyber-attack or a simple IT breakdown, the BRP helps to minimise the negative impact of an incident and guarantee a rapid resumption of operations.

In this article, we'll explain in detail what a DRP is, why it's important to have one and how to set it up.

Why set up a DRP? 

Did you know that? In 2022, the cyber section of the Paris public prosecutor's office opened almost 600 investigations into cyber attacks* and the French national agency for information systems security (ANSI) counted around 2,000 cyber attacks in 2022** in France. A failure can occur at any time. If the failure is anticipated with a DRP, the affected organisation will be able to continue its activity in the event of a major incident such as a natural disaster, a power cut or a cyber attack. Having a DRP in place helps to minimise disruption and the associated costs.

The importance of a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

The DRP will enable organisations affected by a disaster to : 

• Continue business operations during and after an incident, 
• Reduce the cost and duration of the interruption, 
• Reduce risk and financial exposure, 
• Strengthen customer confidence and protect the company's reputation
• Comply with regulatory or legal requirements

Watch the full webinar here

What is a Disaster Recovery Plan? 

A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is the set of technical procedures and resources that need to be put in place to restore a company's services in the event of a disaster or major incident. 
The aim of a Disaster Recovery Plan is to minimise downtime and data loss, and to guarantee a rapid resumption of activities as quickly as possible and under the best possible conditions, in order to reduce the financial consequences of the incident. In this way, the IT Disaster Recovery Plan responds to a fundamental aspiration: to ensure the continuity of the company.

The DRP must provide :

• the measures to be taken to guarantee the security of confidential data ;
• the maximum permissible downtime: the Recovery Time Objective (RTO);
• the maximum acceptable data loss: Recovery Point Objective (RPO).

What solution should I use to set up a disaster recovery plan for my database? 

When a DRP is set up, the following steps are generally implemented: 
1.     Analyse the risks (Costs, Market, Environment)
2.    Explore solutions
3.    Implement solutions
4.    Test
5.    Deploy/manufacture
6.    Support over time.
These methods can be implemented manually, using scripts developed in-house, or integrated. The risk of an internally-developed script is having to keep track of the different versions of the database (the support part). Nor should we overlook the risk of the employee who developed the script leaving the company. This is why we recommend that you use a tool on the market for your DRP. 

Why Standby MP from DBVisit? 

This DRP tool is cross-platform and can be adapted to different versions and editions of databases. This means you have a single tool that covers your different databases, whatever their type. Standby MP is a solution for Oracle, SQL Server and Postgres databases. The data stored in databases is the most precious corporate asset to be protected, which is why specific tools are used, close to the database, to guarantee its integrity.
DBVisit's Standby MP enables you to maintain data integrity, with minimal data loss (RPO), ultra-fast recovery in just a few minutes (RTO) and low resource requirements. Finally, the Standby tool is automated, eliminating manual processes and the risk of error.

This multiplatform solution offers numerous advantages:

• Compatibility with different database versions (Oracle, SQL Server, Postgres)
• Data integrity with minimal loss (RPO)
• Ultra-fast recovery in minutes (RTO)
• Low resource requirements
• Process automation to minimize risk of error

In short, the Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is an essential tool for any organization wishing to minimize the impact of a major interruption to its activities, enabling it to :

• Reduce downtime and get back up and running faster in the event of a disaster.
• Minimize financial losses and protect your reputation.
• Enhance the confidence of your customers and partners.
• Comply with current regulations.

By investing in a robust disaster recovery plan, you guarantee your organization's long-term viability and ability to cope with unforeseen events. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, or if you'd like help setting up your DRP.

*https://www.francetvinfo.fr/internet/securite-sur-internet/cyberattaques/cyberattaques-600-enquetes-ouvertes-en-france-par-le-parquet-de-paris-depuis-janvier-2022_5541438.html
**https://www.francetvinfo.fr/internet/securite-sur-internet/cyberattaques/cybersecurite-l-agence-nationale-de-la-securite-des-systemes-d-information-a-compte-a-peu-pres-2-000-cyberattaques-en-2022-en-france_5943899.html