Cloud-based SaaS products have streamlined BCP and disaster recovery, argues Tarek Meliti, CEO and founder of TDM Group
For those not in the know, a BCP (Business Continuity Plan) outlines how a business will continue operating during an unplanned disruption in service. It’s more holistic than a disaster recovery plan because it details contingencies for business processes, assets, human resources, and partners – providing an enterprise-wide view of recovery.
A 2019 LogicMonitor study reported that 96 percent of organisations have experienced at least one outage in the past three years and 95 percent had experienced at least one brownout. Although data loss is by no means the only risk that highlights the importance of a thorough BCP, it is stats like this that should bring business continuity planning into sharp focus for IT decision-makers.
Meliti said that the pandemic streamlined business continuity amid enforced homeworking and the new hybrid model. This, along with cloud technology, has made it easier for organisations to implement a cost-effective business continuity strategy.
Cloud services have reshaped BCP through the evolution of models like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Conveniently, the vendor provides disaster recovery functionality within this SaaS provision – effectively meaning the process is outsourced, so the business can focus on its primary objectives.
He said that before the cloud, the process was not quite so simple – and often focused on the disaster recovery of on-premises systems. If the worst happened and everything went down, perhaps because of a fire, flood, or storm, they relied on a commercial recovery site where a skeleton workforce could maintain operations.
Meliti said when the pandemic blindsided businesses in March 2020, the BCP model underwent a rapid transformation. Strict lockdowns meant the office was suddenly off-limits, which accelerated homeworking at scale; all underpinned by permanently available cloud services – such as emails, accounting systems, CRM systems, and marketing systems.
As these SaaS providers take responsibility for their own disaster recovery, the burden was no longer on businesses – which streamlined and augmented the entire BCP process in the following ways:
• Seamless backup and disaster recovery: The SaaS providers will deliver the backup and disaster recovery provisions within their service – and supported by the contract’s fine print.
• Flexibility: Perhaps the biggest advantage of harnessing the cloud for business continuity, certainly in the context of homeworking, is the ability to access data and digital tools from anywhere. Businesses can now operate safely in the knowledge that their teams can continue working no matter where they are.
• Cost-effective scaling: Cloud services are typically offered via a “pay as you go” model. This is a more affordable option for many businesses, making it is easier to scale up and down as needs change without investing in new hardware and the people to manage it.
As part of the “pay as you go” consumption model, businesses can subscribe to the services they need. As operations expand, their subscription plan can be adjusted to include additional services. Leveraging cloud solutions can also limit the costs that are typically experienced with on-premises solutions, such as purchasing and maintaining on-site hardware, energy consumption, and infrastructure support.
Meliti said that a cloud-based BCP offers a simple and effective solution to potential data loss, downtime, and disaster recovery. However, the challenge for businesses now is to evolve their resiliency strategies quickly enough to keep up with today’s hybrid IT environments and rapidly-changing business and customer demands.
“Ultimately, a cloud-first strategy is the answer; one that leverages cloud-based disaster recovery and a suite of business continuity management tools designed specifically for this new world”, he said.
