Understanding Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS)

Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) provides a scalable, cloud-based solution, ensuring data protection, rapid recovery, and operational resilience. With options ranging from self-managed to fully managed, DRaaS enables businesses to choose a setup that aligns with their resources and continuity needs.

Editorial Staffs

DRaaS provides businesses with a cloud-based backup and recovery system that quickly restores critical data and applications following a disaster, such as hardware failure, cyberattacks, or natural calamities.

This article explores the definition of DRaaS, its key types, and how businesses can implement it effectively to safeguard their operations.

What is DRaaS?

Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) is a managed service that replicates and restores your IT infrastructure and data in the event of a disaster. Unlike traditional disaster recovery methods that require expensive hardware and complex setups, DRaaS leverages cloud technology for scalability, affordability, and speed.

With DRaaS, you can recover their critical systems within minutes, minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity. It’s particularly beneficial for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that lack the resources to maintain a secondary data center.

How Does DRaaS Actually Work?

Example: Using Veeam DRaaS as an example, critical data is replicated to a secure, isolated cloud environment that remains protected from threats. This setup ensures business continuity while safeguarding data against unauthorized access or deletion.

DRaaS operates through data backup, replication, and failover mechanisms, continuously protecting your data by creating secure offsite copies. During an outage, DRaaS activates failover protocols, allowing swift access to data and systems with minimal downtime. This structured approach ensures business resilience during unexpected disruptions.

DRaaS uses a range of mechanisms to protect and restore data during disruptions.

  • Replication of Data and Applications: Continuously mirrors data to a secondary location, ensuring an up-to-date copy for quick recovery during outages.
  • Continuous Data Protection: Captures every data change in real-time, keeping data current and preventing loss.
  • Scheduled Replication: Provides regular backups at set intervals, offering a cost-effective alternative for businesses not needing real-time protection.
  • Failover to Cloud: Automatically shifts operations to a secure cloud environment during outages, ensuring uninterrupted access to critical applications and data.
  • Automatic Failover: Transitions to backup without manual intervention, minimizing downtime.
  • Manual Failover: Allows IT teams to decide when to activate the backup, offering greater control over timing.

Three Types of DRaaS

Businesses can choose from several DRaaS models based on their specific needs and infrastructure:

1. Managed DRaaS

In this model, the service provider handles the entire disaster recovery process, including setup, testing, monitoring, and failover. Managed DRaaS is ideal for businesses with limited IT expertise, as it offers hands-on support and peace of mind.

2. Assisted DRaaS

Here, the service provider collaborates with the business’s IT team to implement and maintain the disaster recovery plan. While the provider offers technical expertise, the business retains some control over the process.

3. Self-Service DRaaS

This option allows businesses to manage their disaster recovery independently using the provider’s cloud infrastructure. While it’s cost-effective, it requires significant IT expertise and is best suited for businesses with robust in-house IT teams.

Why Use DRaaS for your business? key benefits

By leveraging cloud-based recovery systems, you can ensure business continuity and data safety in the face of unexpected events. Here are some of the key advantages of adopting DRaaS:

  • Minimized Downtime DRaaS ensures rapid recovery of critical systems, reducing the time your business spends offline after a disaster.
  • Cost Efficiency By eliminating the need for on-premises hardware and secondary data centers, DRaaS significantly lowers disaster recovery costs.
  • Scalability DRaaS solutions grow with your business, allowing you to adjust storage and recovery capabilities as your needs evolve.
  • Improved Compliance Many DRaaS providers offer features that help businesses meet regulatory requirements for data protection and recovery.
  • Access to Expertise Service providers bring specialized knowledge and tools to ensure a reliable and efficient disaster recovery process.

How to Implement DRaaS for Your Business

Implementing DRaaS is not a one-size-fits-all process. It requires careful planning and alignment with your business needs. For Malaysian businesses, whether you’re a small eCommerce shop or a large-scale manufacturer, having a solid disaster recovery strategy can mean the difference between continuity and chaos during an unforeseen event.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to effective implementation:

1. Assess Your Business Needs

Identify Critical Systems

Determine which systems and data are essential to your operations, such as point-of-sale (POS) systems for retail stores, ERP systems for manufacturers, or patient databases for healthcare providers.

Set Recovery Objectives

Define your Recovery Time Objective (RTO) (how quickly you need to restore operations) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) (how much data loss is acceptable). For example, a local retailer may prioritize POS recovery within 2 hours, while a logistics company might focus on minimizing data gaps in delivery schedules.

2. Choose the Right DRaaS Model

As mentioned, there are three main types of DraaS model – choose the one that best-fits your business operations.

  • Managed DRaaS: Ideal for small businesses with limited IT resources, as the provider handles the entire process. For instance, a café chain in Malaysia could benefit from this model to ensure uninterrupted operations during network failures.
  • Assisted DRaaS: Suitable for mid-sized businesses with partial in-house IT capabilities. An SME using hybrid cloud solutions, for example, could collaborate with a provider to customize their disaster recovery strategy.
  • Self-Service DRaaS: Best for larger enterprises with dedicated IT teams, such as financial institutions that require complete control over their disaster recovery process.

3. Partner with a Reliable DRaaS Provider

Look for providers with local expertise and infrastructure to reduce latency and ensure compliance with Malaysian regulations like the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). For example, a provider with data centers in Malaysia can offer faster recovery times for SMEs operating regionally.

Evaluate their track record, support services, and scalability to accommodate your business’s growth.

4. Develop a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

Collaborate with your DRaaS provider to create a tailored recovery plan. This plan should outline:

  • Recovery priorities (e.g., restoring customer-facing systems first).
  • Roles and responsibilities for staff during an emergency.
  • Communication protocols for stakeholders, including employees and clients.

For instance, a small accounting firm could prioritize restoring financial records first, while a logistics company might focus on operational systems.

5. Test and Optimize the System

Conduct regular disaster recovery drills to ensure your system performs as expected under different scenarios, such as ransomware attacks or server outages. Identify bottlenecks and refine processes based on the results. For example, a local manufacturer might simulate a power outage to ensure ERP systems can be restored within their defined RTO.

Regular testing also ensures compliance with data protection regulations and boosts stakeholder confidence.

6. Educate Your Team

Train employees on their roles during a disaster to reduce confusion and delays. For example, retail staff should know how to handle a POS system recovery, while IT personnel in larger enterprises should understand the technical aspects of failover processes.

How Callnet Solution Supports DRaaS Implementation

At Callnet Solution, we specialize in helping Malaysian businesses protect implement DRaaS solutions tailored to their specific needs. Our services include:

  • Consultation and Planning: We assess your requirements and design a disaster recovery strategy that aligns with your business goals.
  • Seamless Deployment: Our team ensures a smooth setup with minimal disruption to your operations.
  • Ongoing Management: We monitor and maintain your DRaaS system to ensure it’s always ready when needed.
  • Regular Testing and Optimization: We conduct regular tests to ensure your recovery plan performs effectively during emergencies.

Final Thoughts: The Importance of DRaaS

Disasters are unpredictable, but their impact on your business doesn’t have to be. With Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), you can ensure your critical systems and data are protected, recoverable, and ready to support your business through any challenge.

Ready to protect your business from downtime and data loss? Reach out for a free consultation using this contact form today.

Article By Editorial Staffs

The Editorial Staff at Callnet Solution brings together a seasoned team of IT professionals, collectively boasting over two decades of expertise in enterprise IT management, cloud solutions, and cybersecurity. Since its inception in 2016, Callnet Solution has emerged as a premier IT service provider in Malaysia, renowned for its innovative solutions and commitment to excellence in the tech industry.
Editorial Staffs

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