Every business, regardless of size, faces risks that can interrupt operations or cause data loss. A disaster recovery plan is a prepared set of steps your company can follow to quickly restore IT systems and data after an unexpected event, such as a cyberattack, hardware failure, or natural disaster. It's not just about having backups; it's about knowing how to get your business running again with minimal disruption.
Why disaster recovery matters for Canadian SMBs
Downtime can be costly. For a small or mid-sized business, even a few hours offline can mean lost sales, frustrated customers, and reduced staff productivity. Data loss can damage your reputation and lead to compliance issues, especially with Canadian privacy laws like PIPEDA that require protecting personal information. Cyber threats such as ransomware are increasingly common and often target smaller companies that may lack robust defenses.
A typical scenario
Consider a 50-person Canadian manufacturing firm that relies on digital records for orders, inventory, and customer contacts. One day, a ransomware attack encrypts their servers, locking access to critical files. Without a disaster recovery plan, they might spend days trying to recover data or even paying a ransom. However, with a tested disaster recovery plan and offsite backups managed by their IT provider, they can restore systems within hours, minimizing downtime and avoiding ransom payments.
Checklist: What to do now
- Ask your IT provider: Do you have a documented disaster recovery plan tailored to our business? How often is it tested?
- Backup strategy: Where are backups stored? Are they offsite or in the cloud? How frequently are backups performed?
- Recovery time objectives (RTO): How quickly can critical systems be restored after an incident?
- Access controls: Who can initiate recovery procedures? Are these roles clearly assigned?
- Internal checks: Verify that backups are complete and recent. Confirm that staff know basic incident reporting steps.
- Compliance alignment: Ensure your disaster recovery plan addresses any industry-specific regulations or privacy requirements.
Moving forward
Having a disaster recovery plan is a practical step to protect your business from avoidable losses and operational headaches. It complements your cybersecurity and IT support efforts by providing a clear path to recovery when things go wrong. If you don't have a plan or haven't reviewed it recently, consider consulting a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor who understands the risks faced by Canadian SMBs. They can help you develop, test, and maintain a plan that fits your business needs without unnecessary complexity.