In a recent study conducted by Symantec and Applied Research found that over 1/3 of SMBs do not backup their virtual server environments. Why, we don’t clearly know, but DCIG has some theories.
The study included some other tidbits that were interesting for both the SMB and SMB vendors. To best explain, let’s run through a disaster scenario.
- An SMB implements server virtualization but does not implement a disaster recovery plan for the servers.
- Disaster strikes and the company’s office and IT infrastructure is destroyed.
- After days / weeks the company reassembles an IT infrastructure to get up and running.
- Finding that most of their customer data is lost.
- Over the course of rebuilding the company, they experience a 40% revenue hit
What about the vendor that sold the SMB the virtualization solution without a disaster recovery plan?
- 39% of the SMBs will dump them and find a new vendor.
While sever virtualization has its benefits in terms of efficiency and cost reduction, deployment without a disaster recovery plan ends up costing you (and your vendor) a lot more than you planned.
Are you flirting with disaster?
Related Posts:
Backup: the next entitlement?
Storage means business for the VAR 500
photo by: http://blogs.dirteam.com/blogs/tomek/default.aspx
Mark,
Great post. There seems to be a disconnect between SMBs and the industry on the importance of DR and DR planning and what it actually entails. We blogged a few months ago that DR is not just about the data here:
http://blogs.i365.com/?p=102
As you well pointed out, SMBs need to protect both their critical systems (physical and virtual) and data otherwise they are just flirting with disaster.
John
Thanks John and thanks for the link to your post. Always looking to share additional views on best practices.