What to Include in a Disaster Recovery Plan

Disasters can cause significant business disruption, yet many business owners don’t plan for it. It is not only natural disasters that can pose a threat to a business – internal factors can also cause significant damage. Factors such as electrical hazards and faulty plumbing can negatively impact a business.

If a disaster does occur, your business may find it difficult to recover without a good disaster recovery plan.

If you decide to create a DR plan to protect your business from potential crashes, here are some suggestions on what to include in your plan.

1. Communication Plan

Communication is crucial for your business to recover in case of a disaster. You will need to communicate with your staff, customers and other key business contacts that are affected by the disaster.

The question of how and who to communicate with must be clearly laid out in your DR plan. The plan should include details to guide your business from the initial communication of the disaster to the end of recovery.

Because your business communication systems may be affected by the disaster, alternative communication methods should be included in your DR plan. This will keep everyone informed of the current state of your business.

 

2. Downtime and Data Loss Tolerance

Will your business suffer a great loss if it went offline for a few hours or a few days?

Business tolerance for downtime and data loss varies, so your DR plan must be tailored to your specific business environment.

Two important metrics for recovering from downtime are Recovery Time Objective (RPO) and Recovery Point Objective (RTO). These metrics define how quick and to what extent the recovery process should extend to in order to resume normal business operations.

Each of your business functions should be rated on how important they are to your business operations with the critical ones given a high priority.

 

3. Employee Recovery Team

To avoid confusion that may arise from disasters, assign responsibilities to your employees as part of a recovery team. Assigning clear roles to personnel will make the recovery process easier to follow.

Starting with the staff who declares a disaster, there should be no ambiguity as to the roles of each personnel. This helps to promote accountability.

It may also help to keep a centrally accessible list of staff along with emergency duties and contacts.

 

4. Recovery Site

Recovery site is an alternative location for your workers to converge when the primary business location is inaccessible. It is where your staff can work on the recovery and access organization resources.

Additionally, your DR plan should contain an easy map and secondary directions to guide your staff to the recovery site.

 

5. Supply Chain Management

For businesses involved in processing orders, a disaster can disrupt the order fulfilling process. Your DR plan should indicate how to handle such scenario. This may involve having alternate suppliers or contacting the current supplier to activate an emergency plan.

 

6. Solid Service Level Agreement (SLA)

If you outsourced your disaster recovery to an outside firm, it is important to specify what will be done in case of a disaster. Your agreement should include how fast a response is expected and what aspect of your business is covered by the recovery.

 

7. Business Security

After a disaster, your staff may need to access your central networks and business data from unsecured remote locations. This may pose unique security challenges in terms of how to handle sensitive information and privileged access. A thorough DR plan will give clear directions on what your personnel is to do to minimize security risks.

 

8. Access Your Business Risks

Your business type determines the risks you face. Your industry and its geographical location will contribute to the risks posed by disasters. Your hardware, software and other business technologies will bring a different risk dimension in terms of a disaster. All your business assets must be carefully inventoried and their risks determined. The result should indicate the direction your DR plan will take.

 

You can’t prepare for all disasters but careful DR planning which incorporates the above items will increase the chance of survival for your business. It will also help your company bounce back quickly from an unexpected catastrophe. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions about what to include in a disaster recovery plan for your business.

Common IT Security Compliance Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

June 17, 2025
Meeting IT security compliance standards is crucial for businesses that handle sensitive data, particularly in industries such as healthcare, finance, defense, and e-commerce. Regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, CMMC, PCI-DSS, and GDPR exist to help ensure businesses protect customer information and maintain robust cybersecurity practices. Unfortunately, many organizations fall short of these requirements, often due to common, avoidable mistakes. These gaps can result in costly fines, data breaches, and reputational damage, which can significantly impact the business's bottom line and customer trust. 1. Failing to Conduct Regular Risk Assessments The Pitfall: Many businesses overlook the importance of conducting routine risk assessments. Without these, it’s challenging to identify vulnerabilities or evaluate whether your current cybersecurity controls meet compliance standards. How to Avoid It: Implement a regular risk assessment schedule. Work with a qualified IT provider to evaluate your systems, identify weaknesses, and document remediation plans. These assessments should be performed at least annually, or whenever significant changes to the system occur. 2. Inadequate Employee Training The Pitfall: Your employees are your first line of defense—and often your most significant vulnerability. A common compliance issue arises when businesses fail to train staff on cybersecurity best practices or on handling sensitive data appropriately. How to Avoid It: Invest in ongoing cybersecurity awareness training. Ensure employees understand how to recognize phishing emails, create strong passwords, and report any suspicious activity. Training should be updated regularly to reflect current threats and compliance requirements. 3. Improper Data Handling and Storage The Pitfall: Storing sensitive data in unsecured locations, failing to encrypt information, or retaining data longer than necessary are significant compliance risks. These practices are often flagged during audits. How to Avoid It: Adopt data classification policies that define how different types of data should be handled; encrypt sensitive data both at rest and in transit. Establish clear data retention policies and ensure that obsolete data is disposed of securely. 4. Lack of Incident Response Planning The Pitfall: When a security incident occurs, time is of the essence. Many businesses lack a documented incident response plan, or their existing plan hasn’t been thoroughly tested. This can lead to delayed responses, increased damage, and regulatory penalties. How to Avoid It: Develop a formal incident response plan that includes roles, responsibilities, communication protocols, and steps for containment and recovery. Run simulated breach scenarios with your IT team to ensure everyone knows how to respond effectively. 5. Using Outdated Software or Systems The Pitfall: Running outdated operating systems, software, or firmware is a common issue that can lead to compliance failures. Unsupported technologies are more vulnerable to exploitation. How to Avoid It: Keep all systems and applications up to date with the latest patches. Use automated tools to track software versions and receive alerts about end-of-life technologies. Schedule regular maintenance windows to apply updates and upgrades. 6. Insufficient Access Controls The Pitfall: Allowing too many employees access to sensitive data—or failing to revoke access when it’s no longer needed—can lead to data breaches and non-compliance. How to Avoid It: Implement role-based access controls and follow the principle of least privilege. This principle means that each user should have the minimum level of access necessary to perform their job. Regularly audit user accounts and permissions to ensure access is current and appropriate. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an additional layer of protection. 7. Neglecting Third-Party Vendor Risks The Pitfall: Businesses often overlook the fact that their compliance responsibilities extend to third-party vendors. If a vendor mishandles your data, you could still be held accountable. How to Avoid It: Vet third-party vendors carefully. Ensure they meet the same compliance standards as your business and include security requirements in your contracts. Conduct periodic audits or request compliance certifications from your vendors. 8. Failing to Document Policies and Procedures The Pitfall: Even if your security practices are strong, failing to document your compliance policies can result in audit failures. Regulators want to see evidence that you have formal processes in place. How to Avoid It: Create and maintain clear documentation for all compliance-related policies, including data protection, access control, incident response, and employee training. Make these documents easily accessible for audits and regularly review them to ensure updates are current. Conclusion Compliance with IT security standards is not a one-time project—it requires ongoing attention, regular updates, and a proactive approach to maintain effectiveness. By understanding and addressing these common pitfalls, your business can stay ahead of regulatory requirements, strengthen its security posture, and reduce the risk of costly incidents. This ongoing attention is crucial to maintaining your business's security and audit readiness. If you’re unsure whether your business is meeting current IT compliance standards, professional support can help. Contact SDTEK today to schedule a compliance assessment and learn how our IT services can keep your business secure and audit-ready. With our support, you can navigate the complex landscape of IT security compliance with confidence.

Why Cybersecurity and Business IT Support Are Crucial for Fort Wayne Businesses

April 9, 2025
In today’s digital-first world, cybersecurity isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity. Whether you run a small startup or a growing enterprise in Fort Wayne , protecting your business’s data, systems, and clients is essential for long-term success. From ransomware attacks to phishing scams, cyber threats are evolving every day, and the best way to stay ahead of them is by partnering with a reliable IT services provider that understands the unique needs of local businesses. Here’s why investing in professional business IT support is one of the smartest decisions Fort Wayne businesses can make—and how working with SDTEK helps protect your operations, your data, and your reputation.