Disaster Recovery Planning: Avoid DRP, Backup & Cloud Mistakes
September 12, 2025
Disaster recovery planning is more than just a safety net—it's a must-have for keeping your business running after a disruption. Whether it’s a cyberattack, hardware failure, or natural disaster, having a solid plan in place protects your operations, data, and reputation. In this blog, you’ll learn what disaster recovery planning involves, common mistakes to avoid, key features to include, and how to implement a plan that fits your business. We’ll also cover disaster recovery testing, recovery time objective, and how backup and recovery strategies support your business continuity plan.
What is disaster recovery planning?
Disaster recovery planning is the process of creating a structured approach to respond to unplanned incidents that threaten your IT systems and business operations. These incidents can include cyberattacks, power outages, hardware failures, or natural disasters. The goal is to restore normal operations as quickly and efficiently as possible.
A strong disaster recovery plan (DRP) outlines the steps your team should take before, during, and after a disruption. It includes backup procedures, recovery strategies, and clear roles for everyone involved. It also defines your recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO), which help you understand how quickly systems must be restored and how much data loss is acceptable. A well-documented DRP reduces downtime, protects data, and supports your business continuity plan.
Critical mistakes to avoid in your disaster recovery plan
Even with the best intentions, businesses often make errors when building a disaster recovery plan. Here are some of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Not testing your plan
Creating a plan is only the first step. Without disaster recovery testing, you won’t know if your plan actually works. Regular testing helps identify gaps and ensures your team knows what to do when a real incident occurs.
Mistake #2: Ignoring data dependencies
Many systems rely on others to function properly. If you don’t map out these dependencies, your recovery process may fail. Make sure your plan includes a full inventory of information systems and their relationships.
Mistake #3: Relying on a single backup method
Using only one backup method—like local storage—puts your data at risk. Combine on-site and off-site backups, including cloud options, to ensure redundancy and faster recovery times.
Mistake #4: Skipping the business impact analysis
Without a business impact analysis, you won’t know which systems are most critical. This analysis helps prioritize recovery efforts and allocate resources where they matter most.
Mistake #5: Outdated documentation
Your DRP should be a living document. If it’s outdated, it won’t reflect your current infrastructure or team roles. Review and update your plan regularly to keep it accurate.
Mistake #6: No communication plan
During a disaster, clear communication is essential. Your plan should include who to contact, how to reach them, and what information to share. This keeps everyone aligned and reduces confusion.
Mistake #7: Underestimating cyber threats
Cyber incidents are one of the most common causes of downtime. Make sure your plan addresses cyber risks, including ransomware, phishing, and data loss.
Key benefits of a disaster recovery plan
A disaster recovery plan offers several advantages that help protect your business:
- Minimizes downtime by restoring systems and data quickly
- Reduces financial losses from interrupted business operations
- Protects customer trust by ensuring service continuity
- Helps meet compliance requirements and industry standards
- Supports faster decision-making during a crisis
- Improves team coordination and response during incidents
Understanding the types of disaster recovery
There are several types of disaster recovery, and choosing the right one depends on your business needs and IT environment. Each type offers different levels of protection and recovery speed.
Traditional disaster recovery involves using a secondary data center to replicate your systems. This setup can be costly but offers full control. Cloud disaster recovery, on the other hand, uses cloud-based infrastructure to store backups and run applications during a failure. It’s more flexible and often more affordable for small to mid-sized businesses.
Other types include virtualization-based recovery, which uses virtual machines to restore systems quickly, and managed disaster recovery, where a third-party provider handles the entire process. Each approach has its pros and cons, so it’s important to align your choice with your recovery time objective and budget.
Steps for building a disaster recovery plan
Creating a disaster recovery plan takes time, but breaking it into steps makes the process manageable. Here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Perform a risk assessment
Identify potential threats to your IT systems, such as cyberattacks, hardware failures, or natural disasters. This helps you understand what risks to prepare for.
Step 2: Conduct a business impact analysis
Determine which systems and processes are most critical to your business. This analysis helps you prioritize recovery efforts and set recovery point objectives.
Step 3: Define recovery objectives
Set your recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO). These metrics guide how quickly systems must be restored and how much data you can afford to lose.
Step 4: Choose your backup methods
Select a mix of backup solutions, such as cloud storage, off-site backups, and local servers. Make sure your backup plan supports your recovery goals.
Step 5: Document the recovery process
Write clear, step-by-step instructions for restoring systems and data. Include contact lists, vendor information, and access credentials.
Step 6: Assign roles and responsibilities
Ensure each team member knows their role during a disaster. This improves response time and reduces confusion.
Step 7: Test and update the plan
Run disaster recovery testing at least once a year. Update the plan as your systems, staff, or risks change.
Practical considerations for technology disaster recovery
Technology disaster recovery focuses on restoring IT systems, applications, and data. It’s a key part of your overall business continuity and disaster recovery strategy. Start by identifying your critical systems—like email, file servers, and cloud platforms—and determine how long you can afford for each to be offline.
Make sure your plan includes detailed backup procedures and access to alternate hardware or virtual environments. Consider using automation tools to speed up the recovery process. Also, ensure your data storage solutions are secure and regularly tested. Technology recovery isn’t just about hardware—it’s about keeping your compute resources and information systems running smoothly.
Best practices for disaster recovery planning
Follow these best practices to strengthen your disaster recovery plan:
- Involve key stakeholders from IT, operations, and leadership
- Keep multiple copies of your plan in secure, accessible locations
- Use a disaster recovery plan template to ensure consistency
- Include an incident management plan to handle communications
- Review and update your plan every 6–12 months
- Train your team regularly on their roles and responsibilities
A strong plan should include both technical and operational details. It should also align with your overall business goals.
How Sterling can help with disaster recovery planning
Are you a business with 20 to 80 employees looking for a reliable disaster recovery solution? Our team specializes in helping growing companies build and maintain disaster recovery plans that actually work. We understand the challenges of scaling IT infrastructure while staying protected.
At Sterling, we don’t just offer templates—we help you create a plan that fits your systems, staff, and budget. From disaster recovery testing to cloud disaster recovery planning, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Contact us today to get started.
Frequently asked questions
What should a disaster recovery plan include for small businesses?
Your disaster recovery plan should include a business continuity plan, recovery time objective, and clear backup procedures. It should also define roles, communication steps, and recovery strategies. For small businesses, simplicity and clarity are key.
Include details about your data center, recovery process, and how to access critical systems. Make sure your plan is easy to follow and updated regularly to reflect changes in your business operations.
How often should we run disaster recovery testing?
Disaster recovery testing should be done at least once a year, but more frequent testing is better. This ensures your team is prepared and your systems respond as expected.
Testing helps you identify weaknesses in your disaster recovery process and improve your recovery times. It also ensures your backup and recovery tools are working correctly and your recovery point objective is still accurate.
What are the different types of disaster recovery?
There are several types of disaster recovery, including cloud disaster recovery, traditional on-site recovery, and managed services. Each offers different levels of speed and control.
Choosing the right type depends on your business impact analysis, data storage needs, and budget. Cloud disaster recovery is often more flexible and cost-effective for small to mid-sized businesses.
How does a cloud disaster recovery plan work?
A cloud disaster recovery plan stores your data and applications in the cloud, allowing you to restore systems remotely. This reduces downtime and speeds up recovery.
It’s especially useful for businesses that rely on remote access or have limited on-site infrastructure. Cloud solutions also simplify backup procedures and improve your ability to recover from data loss.
Why is a backup plan not enough?
A backup plan only covers data storage—it doesn’t address how to restore systems or resume operations. Disaster recovery planning includes the full recovery process.
You need both backup and recovery strategies to protect your business from data loss, cyber threats, and natural disasters. A complete plan should include recovery time objectives and clear steps for restoring business operations.
What is the role of an incident management plan in disaster recovery?
An incident management plan outlines how to respond during a crisis. It includes communication steps, roles, and escalation procedures.
This plan supports your DRP by ensuring everyone knows what to do during a disaster. It also helps reduce the business impact and speeds up the recovery process by keeping your team aligned and informed.
