Go Green with Document Management

Disaster Recovery: The Cost of Lost Data

Introduction

Changing weather patterns  have increased the likelihood of major weather events, including hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, and fires.  With record rain fall in many locations, even areas that seldom, if ever flood, are on the lookout for possible flooding during major rain events.  According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, (NOAA) 2017 was a record year for floods, and 2018 is shaping up to be another record year. 

Wildfires have erupted and spread across  across California, Colorado, New Mexico and other Western states, helped by high winds and long-lasting droughts.  After a record-breaking 2017 fire season, 2018 has proven to be devastating as well. 

These weather events are tragic for all who are touched by them. 

When I hear the word “disaster” I think of catastrophic events that challenge large geographic areas and hundreds if not thousands of people.  Things like hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and raging fires.    I’m not alone in that thought process.  In fact, the first definition in the online dictionary I checked defines “disaster” as “a sudden event, such as an accident or a natural catastrophe that causes great damage or loss of life.”  However, when we talk about disaster recovery in context with business continuity, the definition that’s all the way at the bottom of the list, “an event or fact that has unfortunate consequences” is more what we’re talking about.