IT executives and managers both agree on the urgency of a disaster recovery (DR) strategy, but they differ in DR priorities, according to an IDG Research survey.
How confident are executives and managers?
The IDG survey found that 64% of executives are highly confident in the effectiveness of their DR plans to prevent service disruption, while 57% say their DR practices are deterrents against data loss or theft. Their counterparts at the managerial level are less optimistic with only 39% and 36% confidence levels, respectively, on the same issues. Analysts view the apprehension of managers as a result of their day-to-day insights into the capabilities of existing DR systems.
Is DR too much of a burden?
In the same IDG report, 50% of the executives surveyed claim that the daily task of managing, monitoring, and testing their DR systems is not a burden to their DR staff. In contrast, 70% of managers and directors believe that DR work is time-consuming, and 64% say it is complex and difficult to deploy.
How important is compliance?
Just over a third of IT executives are extremely confident in the capability of their DR strategy to prevent noncompliance. On the other hand, nearly two-thirds of IT managers believe that their DR practices adhere to compliance rules. After the much publicized Panama Papers scandal and other major cyber hacks and leaks, compliance regulators have updated their compliance requirements, especially on financial institutions, healthcare companies, and government agencies that handle classified information.
While senior IT executives and mid-level managers disagree on a number of issues, they do agree on some important points of concern.
On the influencers of their DR strategies:
- 76% – threat of data loss and pressure to deliver uninterrupted service
- 74% – conflicting priority on data security versus ease of access to data
- 72% – overburdened IT resources
- 66% – demand for faster product and service delivery
- 60% – changing compliance requirements
- 48% – data center complexity
- 42% – business expansion and globalization
On the motivator to a Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) option
- 76% of all respondents agree that the ability to failover and failback is the main motivator for a shift to a DRaaS model
Clearly, pressure is building on both IT executives and DR teams in a battle to ward off the ever-increasing threats to data security and business continuity. While disagreements exist, the battle is not lost. DRaaS is seen by some industry watchers as a viable alternative that can address the complexities of DR management in a cost-effective way.
DRaaS is expected to reduce recovery costs, minimize staffing needs, simplify DR management, and improve overall DR efficiency. A Gartner publication titled When to Use and Avoid Disaster Recovery as a Service is a recommended guide for companies considering DRaaS. Among other recommendations, the Gartner paper advises that a company’s success with DRaaS will depend on its choice of provider.
IT executives or managers looking to upgrade their disaster recovery systems can contact our Copper State experts for help finding the best solution.
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