Disaster recovery (DR) is often discussed in technical terms, but in practice it is a business discipline. It is about people, preparation, and proven processes that work under pressure. Technology enables recovery, but it is structure, rehearsal, and decision-making that determine whether an organisation experiences controlled continuity or costly disruption.
A common misconception we encounter is the belief that backup alone is sufficient. Backups are essential, but they are only one component of disaster recovery. Backup answers the question “Is the data protected?” Disaster recovery answers the far more critical question: “How quickly can the business resume normal operations, and with what level of impact?” Without a defined and tested recovery plan, backups on their own do not guarantee business continuity.
This distinction becomes clear during real incidents. In a recent recovery we managed, a client experienced an unexpected outage that could have escalated into significant operational and financial impact. Because recovery procedures had been rehearsed, systems tested, and roles clearly defined, the response was calm and coordinated. Operations were restored within agreed timeframes, turning what could have been a highly disruptive event into a predictable and controlled recovery.
This experience reflects a wider challenge across the UK business landscape. Research shows that 72% of senior IT leaders experienced significant disruption or downtime in the past year, yet only 31% report high confidence in their disaster recovery and continuity plans. Many organisations still struggle to clearly define recovery priorities, recovery time objectives, and, critically, to test them in realistic conditions.
The cost of downtime is substantial. UK businesses lost over 50 million hours and an estimated £3.7 billion last year due to internet outages alone. Nearly half of UK SMEs have lost vital data in the past five years, costing the economy billions more. Despite this, many organisations underestimate the true commercial impact of an outage. Surveys consistently show that a significant proportion of businesses do not know what downtime would cost them, while those that do estimate losses ranging from tens of thousands to well over a million pounds per hour.
The message is clear: a documented plan is not enough. Disaster recovery must be rehearsed, tested, and refined. Teams need familiarity and confidence so that, when an incident occurs, recovery is executed rather than improvised. This preparation builds organisational resilience, protects customer trust, and enables leadership teams to focus on decision-making rather than firefighting.
We approach disaster recovery as an ongoing discipline, not a one-off exercise. Regular testing, simulated failure scenarios, and post-incident reviews ensure continuous improvement. Each test reveals insights that strengthen the next recovery. This is why organisations invest in structured DR: not simply to meet compliance requirements, but to ensure the plan works when it truly matters.
Top 5 Priorities for Effective Disaster Recovery
- Define Business-Led Recovery Objectives (RTOs and RPOs)
Benefit: Ensures recovery efforts align directly with what matters most to the business, protecting revenue, customers, and reputation.
Pitfall if ignored: Technical recovery that meets IT goals but fails to meet business expectations, leading to prolonged disruption and stakeholder frustration. - Move Beyond Backup to True Recovery Capability
Benefit: Faster, predictable restoration of services—not just data—so the business can resume operations with confidence.
Pitfall if ignored: False assurance that backups equal resilience, resulting in extended outages when systems cannot be restored quickly or at scale. - Test and Rehearse Regularly
Benefit: Builds operational confidence, exposes weaknesses early, and reduces recovery time during real incidents.
Pitfall if ignored: Plans that look robust on paper but fail under pressure due to untested assumptions or unclear responsibilities. - Establish Clear Roles, Ownership, and Escalation Paths
Benefit: Enables rapid, coordinated response with minimal confusion, even during high-stress situations.
Pitfall if ignored: Delays, duplicated effort, and decision paralysis at the point when time matters most. - Review, Learn, and Improve Continuously
Benefit: A recovery strategy that evolves with the business, technology, and threat landscape, increasing resilience over time.
Pitfall if ignored: Static plans that become outdated, increasing risk as systems, workloads, and dependencies change.
Ultimately, disaster recovery is about stability, confidence, and resilience. When done well, it allows organisations to pursue growth and innovation knowing they can withstand disruption. The difference between downtime and continuity is rarely technology alone—it is preparation, practice, and discipline, long before an incident ever occurs.
