Disasters and security incidents can be very taxing on businesses. Disasters can cause physical and financial damage to a business, while security issues can cause the loss of confidential information, leading to downtime and a decrease in profits. In 2020 alone, it was reportedly costing businesses over $300,000 per hour during downtime.
Both situations can be very stressful for business owners, but there is a solution that can relieve that pressure. Understanding incident response plan vs disaster recovery plan protocols can benefit your company and lead to the creation of a strategy to deal with each individually.
We’ll discuss what makes these plans different from each other and the roles each of them play in protecting the security and productivity of your company.
What is an Incident Response Plan vs Disaster Recovery Plan?
Although both plans sound like they cover the same issues, there are a few key differences.
An incident response plan is a specific set of protocols that are put in place to deal with security incidents. These incidents can include anything from a data breach to a ransomware attack, or any other cybersecurity event.
A disaster recovery plan, on the other hand, is a broader set of protocols that are put into place to deal with any type of disaster—cyber or natural. These unpredictable events can destroy a company’s hardware infrastructure, corrupting precious data.
Creating both types of plans will make the impact of disasters less detrimental to your business as a whole. You’ll be better able to efficiently recover if any of these events occur.
Incident Response Plan
As we discussed before, an incident response strategy is a set of procedures that designated staff use to react to cyber incidents. When organizing an incident response plan, you’ll want to include the following:
- A description of the types of incidents that will trigger the plan
- The roles and responsibilities of those who will be carrying out the plan
- The steps that need to be taken in order to contain the incident
- The steps that need to be taken in order to mitigate the damage caused by the incident and prevent that same issue from recurring, if possible
- A process for reviewing and updating the plan on a regular basis
Carrying out the above process in your plan will better prepare your company for when an incident occurs, as everyone will be able to follow the pre-designed steps.
Disaster Recovery Plan
A disaster recovery plan is a documented process or set of procedures that a company takes to restore its critical business functions after a disaster that causes hardware and infrastructural damage. This plan should include detailed instructions for restoring systems, files, and data after a catastrophic event.
Here are a few ideas of things to consider when creating your plan:
- Evaluate your current situation/location and identify potential risks
- Develop a business impact analysis
- Create a data backup and recovery plan
- Plan for continuity of operations
- Test your disaster recovery plan and update it frequently
With a disaster recovery plan in place, you can reduce the downtime and ensure that productivity is impacted as little as possible.
The Benefits of Having Detailed Response and Recovery Plans
Both an incident response plan and a disaster recovery plan can provide a great deal of benefits to a business. Knowing that you have a plan ready to go, you’ll be less worried about the potential impact on your business.
One study showed that among businesses that underwent a natural disaster, about 25% of them failed within a year of reopening. To better protect your company from facing the same problem, you’ll need to have these plans in place beforehand.
Partner with Tech Rockstars!
No business wants to be unprepared for the future, and that’s where partnering with Tech Rockstars can play a key role. With our team of expert technicians by your side, you’ll have access to the latest technology and security solutions.
We’ll help you set up the best disaster recovery plan and incident response plan for your company, so you can promptly recover from any issues and save money along the way. Contact us today to get started!
