Disaster recovery refers to the strategies, processes and technologies an organisation uses to resume critical ICT operations following a disruptive event. It plays a vital role in ensuring continuity of services, minimising downtime and protecting digital assets in the event of major incidents such as cyberattacks, natural disasters or infrastructure failure.
In the context of ICT disruptions and data loss, disaster recovery goes beyond basic backup procedures. It involves structured planning to ensure systems, applications and data can be restored quickly and efficiently—safeguarding business operations, reputation and revenue. When faced with an unplanned and extremely disruptive event that causes great damage or serious loss to an organisation’s information communication technology (ICT), the response needs to be more significant than just resuming or maintaining operations in order to minimise losses and protect assets.
ICT enable business processes and functions to operate efficiently, and while these can be sustained for short periods without technology it is critical that the ICT be recovered as quickly and efficiently as possible. Even during short periods, manual processes will build a backlog of data entry that will need to be entered into systems before they can be made operational again.
To be classified as a disaster, the event must match an organisation’s predetermined business-impact criteria or threshold. ICT services and environments may be failed-over to a DR site to enable normal organisational functioning and failed back to the primary operational site once normality has been re-established. These activities can be complex and involve many key steps to be successful. The plans and all these steps need to be carefully documented and regularly tested to ensure they are successful when really needed.
Without a formal disaster recovery plan, organisations risk extended downtime, data loss, financial penalties and long-term reputational harm. A well-prepared disaster recovery plan allows organisations to:
A robust disaster recovery plan typically includes:
Disaster recovery strategies vary depending on the organisation’s infrastructure, risk tolerance and business requirements. Common approaches include:
Each strategy should be aligned with the organisation’s ICT architecture and recovery objectives.
Disaster recovery plans are only effective if they’re regularly tested and maintained. Testing helps identify weaknesses, confirm team readiness and improve future response efforts. Common testing methods include:
Post-test reviews enable continuous improvement and ensure the plan remains relevant as systems evolve.
Centium supports organisations in developing disaster recovery frameworks tailored to their unique needs. Services include:
Contact Centium to discuss your needs and explore how a tailored disaster recovery plan can support operational resilience and compliance.
What qualifies an event as a ‘disaster’ in ICT terms?
A disaster in the context of ICT is defined by an organisation’s predefined business-impact criteria or threshold. It typically involves a highly disruptive, unplanned event that causes significant damage or loss to critical ICT systems. Not every outage is a disaster—only those that meet the set impact thresholds and require failover to a disaster recovery site qualify.
What’s the difference between failover and failback in disaster recovery?
Failover refers to the process of switching ICT services and operations to a secondary disaster recovery (DR) site during a disruption. Failback is the return process—restoring operations to the primary site once systems are stable and normality resumes. Both are essential components of a well-documented and tested disaster recovery plan.
How often should a disaster recovery plan be tested?
A disaster recovery plan should be tested regularly—at least annually or after any major system changes. Testing can include table-top exercises, simulations, or live failover tests. Frequent testing ensures that the plan remains effective, up to date, and executable in real scenarios, while also uncovering areas for improvement.
