What is disaster recovery backup?

The short answer

Disaster recovery backup means keeping copies of your data and having a tested plan to restore your systems and operations after an outage, cyberattack or failure. The backup is the copy. The disaster recovery is the plan and process that gets your business working again.

This guide is for owners and managers of small and medium-sized businesses in the Netherlands who do not have a large internal IT team. You will learn the difference between backup and disaster recovery, the five steps of a plan, an illustrative plan example, how the cloud fits in, how to choose software, and what to do after an incident.

*Disclosure: this article was written with the help of AI and reviewed for accuracy by Jouw Cloud.*

What is backup and disaster recovery?

Backup is making copies of files, databases, servers and mailboxes, and storing them somewhere safe. Disaster recovery (DR) is everything needed to get back to work: which systems come first, who does what, how fast you need to be running, and how you restore.

Do you need to worry about it? Not in a fearful way, but yes, you should plan for it. Any business that relies on email, files or business software is affected when those stop working. A calm plan made today is much easier than improvising during an incident.

In practice you need both. A backup without a recovery plan leaves you unsure how long a restore takes, and a plan without good backups has nothing to restore.

Backup vs disaster recovery

The 5 steps of disaster recovery

1. Assess risks. List what could go wrong: ransomware, hardware failure, human error, power or internet outage, a supplier outage. Note which systems each risk affects.
2. Set recovery goals. Decide how long each system can be down (RTO) and how much recent data you can afford to lose (RPO).
3. Choose backup and recovery methods. Pick what to copy, how often, and where. Keep at least one copy offsite and separate from your main network.
4. Document the plan. Write down roles, contacts, priorities and the restore order, in a place you can still reach if your systems are down.
5. Test and update. Run restore tests, fix what fails, and review the plan when your business or systems change.

A disaster recovery plan example (illustrative)

This is a generic template for a small business, not a real client plan. Adjust every value to your situation.

• Roles: an incident lead (decides and communicates), an IT contact (internal or your IT partner), a deputy for both, and someone who informs staff and customers.
• Priority systems: 1) email and Microsoft 365, 2) file storage, 3) accounting or ERP, 4) line-of-business apps, 5) websites and less critical tools.
• Contacts: IT partner, internet provider, software vendors, insurer and key staff, with phone numbers also kept offline.
• Restore order: identity and network access first, then email and files, then business applications, then everything else.
• Communication: who tells staff, customers and, where relevant, authorities, and what they say.
• Test schedule: [Fill in: how often you test restores and who signs off].

The RTO/RPO worksheet is in the metrics section below.

Backup and disaster recovery examples

• Ransomware: files are encrypted. You isolate affected devices, check that backups are clean and protected or offline, then restore in the planned order.
• Hardware failure: a server disk fails. You restore the data to repaired or replacement hardware, or to a cloud-hosted server.
• Accidental deletion: someone deletes a shared folder or mailbox. You restore just that item from a recent backup.
• Outage: an office loses power or internet, or a system goes down. You switch to a workaround or alternative environment while the main one is fixed.

Backup and disaster recovery in cloud computing

The cloud makes it easier to keep copies offsite, and [cloud hosting](https://jouwcloud.com/services/cloud) can serve as a place to restore to if your own location is unavailable. Points to keep in mind:

• Offsite copies protect you if your office or server room is affected.
• Microsoft 365 data (mail, files, Teams) is also your responsibility to protect. Check what your plan retains and whether you need a separate backup. See our [Microsoft 365](https://jouwcloud.com/services/microsoft365) page.
• Shared responsibility: a provider keeps its platform running, but you decide what is backed up, for how long and how it is restored.
• Limits: restoring large amounts of data over the internet takes time, and cloud copies still need access control and testing.

How to choose backup and disaster recovery software

There is no single best software for everyone, so we name no winner. It depends on what you run and how much downtime you can accept. Compare options on:

• Recovery speed: how quickly can you get a system or a single file back?
• Restore testing: can you test restores easily and see the results?
• Security: encryption, access control, and protection of copies from being altered or deleted.
• Support: who helps you when a restore is needed, and how directly?
• Cost: the total cost over time, including storage and restores.
• Fit: does it cover Microsoft 365 and your servers and applications?

If you would rather not compare tools yourself, a managed IT partner can do it with you. Jouw Cloud offers backup and disaster recovery as one of its services, alongside [managed servers and monitoring](https://jouwcloud.com/services/management), with personal and direct support and practical advice.

Measuring it: RTO, RPO and restore tests

RTO (recovery time objective) is how long a system can be down. RPO (recovery point objective) is how much recent data you can afford to lose. A restore test shows whether you can actually meet them. Below is an illustrative worksheet; the values are examples only, so set your own.

| System | Example RTO | Example RPO | Last restore test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email | [Fill in] | [Fill in] | [Fill in: date and result] |
| File storage | [Fill in] | [Fill in] | [Fill in: date and result] |
| Accounting or ERP | [Fill in] | [Fill in] | [Fill in: date and result] |
| Archive | A longer wait is usually acceptable | Less frequent copies may be enough | [Fill in: date and result] |

Record the result of each test, note what failed, and fix it before the next one.

What to do after a breach or outage

1. Stay calm and call your incident lead and IT partner. Follow your written plan.
2. Contain it. Isolate affected devices and accounts, and change compromised passwords.
3. Check your backups are clean and untouched before restoring.
4. Restore in the planned order, starting with the most critical systems.
5. Communicate with staff, customers and, where required, the relevant authorities.
6. Learn and update. Review what happened and improve the plan.

For day-to-day help, see our [support page](https://jouwcloud.com/support).

Frequently asked questions

Talk to Jouw Cloud about backup and disaster recovery

Not sure where your business stands? Tell us what you run and we will give practical advice on a backup and disaster recovery plan that fits. Jouw Cloud is one partner for cloud, Microsoft 365, security and support.

Contact Jouw Cloud