Is Cloud-Based Recovery Right for You? 4 Ways to Tell

It looks like 2015 is going to be the year of the cloud! Just like 2014. And 2013 before that. And so on. Actually, we’ve had a lot of years of the cloud lately, so much so that the term “the cloud” is starting to become one of those buzzwords IT leaders make New Year’s resolutions to say less. But no level of fatigue can diminish the real-world benefits a company can experience by embracing the cloud, or if you prefer, the platform whose name can’t be spoken.

One area where it can play a major role is in disaster recovery. Downtime is something else most companies would be more than happy to leave back in 2014. If something goes wrong with your company’s technology, IT knows the importance of getting things back to normal quickly – and minimizing any damage to or loss of data.

Does this sound familiar?

When it comes to disaster recovery, is it better to go with a traditional solution or one that’s based in the cloud? Here are four ways to tell if a cloud-based recovery option is the right fit for your company:

• Time is of the essence. Traditional disaster recovery solutions require time and staff to implement and support and those are two things which precious few IT teams have in excess these days. Cloud-based recovery solutions can get off the ground more quickly, without the need to invest significant resources and man-hours in selecting and purchasing new equipment or hiring and onboarding new staffers.
• Simple yet effective is a must. Making changes in IT typically comes with a fairly steep learning curve. Even after you’ve finished with pulling staffers into classroom-style training sessions, training manuals still need to be updated, refresher training needs to be planned for, etc. However, if you’re simply expanding your existing cloud environment to include a disaster recovery component from the same vendor, you can likely avoid a lot of that hassle. The user interface won’t be significantly different from what they’re used to, which makes for an even faster rollout. If your company hasn’t embraced the cloud, yet, the possibility of easily expanding into disaster recovery is something you should keep top of mind as you look into potential vendors.
• You can’t afford to pick and choose. The higher cost associated with traditional disaster recovery methods can leave cash-strapped IT teams in the unenviable position of having to pick and choose what they can back-up and protect. That leaves parts of a system vulnerable in the case of an emergency. The savings that go along with cloud-based recovery can allow companies to be more comprehensive when it comes to their coverage, ensuring there are no blind spots or exposures.
• Flexibility is a priority. Corporate IT needs are far from static. As companies grow and evolve, IT must be ready to grow and evolve right along with them, and disaster recovery plans need to be included in that process. The flexible subscription options offered by cloud providers promote scalability by allowing companies to periodically review how much storage they need and alter their plan accordingly.

So even if the word cloud sends chills down your spine at this point, it’s still hard to argue with that list of upsides. Arraya Solutions can leverage its relationships with industry-leaders to help you develop a recovery solution (which includes cloud elements) that meets your current needs and is also scalable so it’s ready to grow along with you.

To find out more about cloud-based recovery, visit www.ArrayaSolutions.com or speak to your Arraya account representative today.

Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ArrayaSolutions