Businesses around the world are subject to a number of risks that could prevent employees from accessing mission-critical information or connecting to the office phone system. These problems continue to proliferate as companies embrace innovative technologies, such as mobile devices, cloud computing and social media. Because most of these solutions are relatively new to the enterprise, employees may not be using them correctly, thus inadvertently inviting threats into the workplace.

Disasters are an unfortunate inevitability in the business world. Sometimes these events spawn from the activities of a malicious outsider who has breached the network and littered viruses throughout the data center, while other times organizations suffer at the accidental hands of an employee. While the origins of emergencies may differ between firms, the underlying message is the same: Executives must implement a disaster recovery program if they are to ensure their companies survive in the long run.

Because every company has different priorities and long-term goals, however, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all continuity strategy. While some sectors require agencies to incorporate specific solutions into their disaster recovery policies, other industries have a free-for-all mentality that forced decision-makers to take a step back and look at their resources to establish what is important. In most cases, communications – sometimes considered the keystone of the enterprise – should be integrated into a recovery initiative. For this reason, executives are replacing old phone systems with more innovative solutions that support this concept.

Aligning communications and disaster recovery

Traditional land line telephony solutions simply don't have the phone system features needed to ensure they can be restored in the wake of a disaster. By taking the time to plan ahead and working with trusted service providers, however, executives can implement the tools they need to ensure continuity strategies will be effective. A recent Business 2 Community report highlighted the importance of planning disaster recovery initiatives, noting that every detail is important, as one slight misstep can lead to downtime and mission-critical resources being unavailable.

Organizations need to eliminate any loopholes that may hinder employees from accessing crucial applications and data when their firms are in the most vulnerable state. In many cases, this means adopting an IP phone system that is agnostic to the endpoints trying to connect to it. Unlike outdated land line phone systems, VoIP and other technologies can be restored more quickly in the wake of an emergency. Additionally, these solutions support mobile connectivity, meaning individuals that are working from home or elsewhere outside of the office during an emergency are not stripped of their ability to communicate with colleagues, customers and partners.

Business 2 Community also highlighted the proliferation of the cloud and how its ongoing development is contributing to the enterprise's ability to quickly restore operations. By implementing a hosted PBX system, for example, decision-makers are given the power to keep their communications platform off-site, meaning it may be less susceptible to harm during a disaster.

Using the cloud for recovery

As cloud technologies mature, they are becoming a more realistic offering for organizations of all sizes. This was highlighted in a recent report by Acronis, which exemplified the benefits of migrating information to an off-site environment like the cloud, noting that the hosted solutions offer more robust data protection capabilities than traditional infrastructure services. This is important because data is the lifeline of the business world.

"There's no question that today's world cannot function without the data we create every day. Without our data, we cannot operate – at least not in the way we are accustomed. That's why having a plan in place and knowing what technology is out there to help keep data protected and secure at all times – during a hurricane or in our everyday lives – is so vital," said Blaine Raddon, general manager of Acronis.

Because natural and man-made disasters are often unavoidable for most businesses, the best thing companies can do is prepare. By being aware and understanding that emergencies are sometimes inevitable, decision-makers can make the necessary adjustments to their infrastructure and philosophy to ensure mission-critical resources are always on-call for employees.

Cloud computing is among the most disruptive forces to hit the IT landscape in some time, providing executives with new opportunities to migrate communication applications and other crucial assets to safe, off-site environments that are managed by a trusted third party. In the coming years, companies need to implement well-rounded disaster recovery initiatives to ensure operations can always run efficiently, regardless of external and uncontrollable circumstances. While a number of tools need to be integrated into these policies, enterprise VoIP or cloud-based phone systems must be among them, as organizations that cannot communicate will not be able to survive.

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A Business 2 Community report highlighted that a large part of the business world takes anytime access to mission-critical resources for granted. However, failing to support this mentality with technology will only result in significant problems. For this reason, executives need to take the time to plan continuity efforts well in advance or risk losing the ability to operate on a fundamental level.

Preparation means companies need to understand what assets are in their possession, and how using specific technologies can reinforce the ability to use these resources at any time, despite unforeseen and uncontrollable external circumstances. Business 2 Community noted that even several minutes can have a monumentally negative impact on a firm's bottom line and its ability to meet employee and customer demands.

Dropping outdated telecommunications
Continuity programs are centered around business VoIP services and other advanced telecom solutions, not necessarily antiquated land line offerings. This is largely because an organization that does not support the employee's ability to communicate with colleagues, customers and partners will not be able to address the needs of today's private sector.

Enterprise VoIP is unlike its predecessor in the fact that it supports remote connectivity through a variety of endpoints. This means that individuals can use personal smartphones, tablets and other devices to communicate even when those people are located outside of the office – a common occurrence when an organization is trying to cope with carrying on operations in the wake of a disaster.

Business 2 Community stated that most advanced telecom services also allow for call diverting, which means consumers will still be able to reach companies. As recovery initiatives become more critical to long-term survival, executives are also looking to the cloud, as this innovative hosted environment supports even more continuity capabilities.

Cloud is disaster recovery game changer
Unlike conventional phone systems, a hosted PBX can be easily restored and accessed from virtually any location, giving organizations the ability to quickly recover communications in a post-disaster setting. Cloud services can also be used as advanced backup technologies, as they provide digital duplicates of critical information to keep operations efficient during the confusion of an emergency, the news source stated.

A recent study of roughly 1,300 IT professionals by Computer Weekly and TechTarget revealed that cloud-enabled disaster recovery programs are on the rise, as more than 28 percent of respondents said they intend to use the hosted services for continuity purposes this year. This jump, up from the 18 percent of organizations currently using the technology, suggests that the cloud offers businesses a number of unique opportunities when developing a robust survival strategies.

As enterprises continue to support a remote workforce and implement well-rounded disaster recovery initiatives, they will increasingly migrate away from outdated land line telecommunications and look to digital or cloud-based services. This is because the latter is more scalable, flexible and cost-effective, making cloud-based tools ideal in the wake of an emergency. By planning ahead and finding the right vendor, decision-makers will be able to establish a robust continuity strategy that will support long-term success.

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A recent Computer Weekly and TechTarget survey of approximately 1,300 IT professionals revealed that the majority of respondents believe the cloud will experience a significant boost in adoption rates, driven largely by the ongoing demand to incorporate the technology into disaster recovery initiatives. In fact, more than 28 percent of IT executives said they will use the cloud for disaster recovery within the next six months, up from about 18 percent that do so now.

Computer Weekly noted that Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) is defined as an allotment of processes provided by a trusted third party that will help organizations establish and use an effective business continuity program. Although many companies intend to use this and other cloud services to enhance recovery endeavors, only 43 percent of respondents said they are able to successfully restore mission-critical assets in the wake of an emergency. Furthermore, 25 percent said they have tested their projects to ensure they work.

If enterprises want to successfully use the cloud to restore business phone systems, communications and mission-critical information needed to continue operating at a reasonable level, decision-makers need to take initiative to ensure strategies are planned and carried out well. Neglecting this process will only make it more difficult for companies, regardless of their size, to see light on the other side of the tunnel.

Cloud disaster recovery benefits
Given the unpredictable attributes of natural and man-made disasters, cloud-based recovery initiatives have acquired a new sense of resilience, giving decision-makers across the private sector more confidence in developing these programs. An InformationWeek report highlighted the benefits of using cloud-enabled continuity plans, noting that they can give smaller firms an edge over larger competitors, as well as providing enterprises with the means to ensure large volumes of resources are easily accessible in the wake of an emergency.

InformationWeek said the security of cloud disaster recovery programs is often the top reason for implementing it, followed closely by the technology's ability to keep mission-critical assets performing up to par. This is especially important in the contact center, which is required to be up 24/7, regardless of external circumstances. When cloud continuity efforts incorporate communication and collaboration tools in the recovery aspect of the program, companies can be sure representatives are able to speak with clients at all times.

The report noted that approximately 48 percent of companies are either leveraging or considering using cloud-based technologies to restore mission-critical applications in the event of a disaster. This suggests that collaborative tools needed to support a remote workforce, which most companies back in a post-disaster environment, are incorporated into a recovery program, ensuring fundamental activities can be carried out efficiently.

In the coming years, decision-makers will increasingly resort to using the cloud for more operations than ever before, giving companies of all sectors new opportunities to enhance long-term survival endeavors. By planning ahead and working with a trusted service provider, executives can incorporate communications and other mission-critical technologies into their overall continuity efforts, giving them a leg up over firms that have no plans in place and are unprepared for the unforgiving and unpredictable wrath of Mother Nature and cybercriminals.

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A recent Spiceworks study of more than 1,000 SMB IT professionals highlighted the ongoing struggle with developing a robust disaster recovery program, noting that roughly 42 percent of respondents think their plans for restoring operations in the wake of emergency fall short. In fact, only 30 percent of executives believe their projects are efficient enough to recover every asset after a disaster.

The survey revealed that approximately 45 percent of SMBs have experienced data loss, with more than half of these companies blaming hardware failure. This suggests that some changes should be made to improve the efficiency of security and recovery projects.

"While small and mid-sized businesses recognize the importance of having a data protection and recovery plan, many are using on-premise hardware that leaves them vulnerable to data loss from device failure, performing manual backups infrequently or on-premise problems that affect both the original copy and backups, such as power surges, natural disasters or theft," cloud backup expert Piyum Samaraweera said.

The evolving face of disaster recovery
Spiceworks found that SMBs spend an average of $5,700 each year to manage backup and recovery solutions. Unfortunately, only 70 percent of IT executives believe these methods are effective, while the remaining 30 percent think some upgrades need to be made to improve operations.

"Data is the lifeblood of any business – big or small," said Deni Connor, founding analyst of Storage Strategies NOW. "The opportunity to provide small and mid-sized businesses with better and more cost-effective ways to protect and recover data is huge. While these companies may have smaller IT staffs, they collectively account for a significant portion of the total backup and recovery market."

Because SMBs cite reliability and security as their top priorities when developing a disaster recovery plan, many organizations are opting for tools hosted in the cloud. Incorporating a hosted PBX system into business continuity strategies will give firms the speed needed to restore operations quickly and efficiently without introducing more challenges.

Developing a disaster recovery program means recognizing what assets are the most important and prioritizing them over all resources. Because communication is critical to the survival of any successful company, decision-makers should opt for a cloud PBX system that can be restored almost immediately.

Cloud phone systems are also extremely flexible, giving them the unique ability to provide access from virtually anywhere at any time. This is important during a disaster, especially if the event had a physical impact on an area. If individuals cannot make it to the office, having the ability to support a remote workforce is critical to the survival of a company.

After witnessing the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy and the other natural disasters of 2012, executives need to prioritize the importance of developing and deploying cloud-based business continuity strategies. If decision-makers neglect to incorporate advanced disaster recovery programs into day-to-day operations, they risk facing problems that could result in the permanent closure of their organizations. By taking the time to evaluate their current assets, firms of all sizes can come up with robust and effective restoration strategies that will help guarantee long-term survival.

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A recent report by InformationWeek highlighted how the private sector is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of continuity programs, as approximately 40 percent of businesses have a disaster recovery plan in place and test it regularly. Another 40 percent of firms have a program but rarely test it, while 15 percent plan to deploy a strategy within the next 12 months.

Although there is a plethora of reasons enterprises are renewing their focus on disaster recovery, including witnessing the effects natural phenomena had on the business world last year, the increased concern about disaster recovery is largely due to the proliferation of advanced technologies, InformationWeek said. Rather than using traditional land line phone systems that often experience outages during an emergency, for example, many firms are leveraging hosted PBX systems that are more reliable and flexible than their predecessors.

Avoiding common pitfalls through innovation
InformationWeek said failing to have a backup system in place is among the most common problems organizations have when preparing for a disaster. Because this is the underlying reason for launching a recovery strategy, more organizations are recognizing the need for continuity programs that enable operations to be carried out safely and efficiently in the wake of an event.

InformationWeek said poor planning is often the result of inefficient recovery projects. For this reason, executives need to do their homework and find the right tools that can reduce complexity and boost performance during the darkest times. This will give organizations a competitive advantage over rival enterprises that have not deployed proper disaster preparation strategies.

Fortunately, cloud computing can help companies keep mission-critical business processes running even when most other activities are grounded.

Why the cloud?
When a company hosts solutions in the cloud, it has a greater opportunity to recover those tools in the wake of a disaster, as the resources may be managed in an environment outside the boundaries affected by the occurrence. This flexibility is critical for companies today, according to a report by Acronis, which said cloud services will be more commonly integrated into disaster recovery programs in the future as the technologies mature and become more familiar in the private sector.

"There's no question that today's world cannot function without the data we create every day," said Blaine Raddon, general manager at Acronis. "Without our data, we cannot operate – at least not in the way we are accustomed. That's why having a plan in place and knowing what technology is out there to help keep data protected and secure at all times – during a hurricane or in our everyday lives – is so vital."

By leveraging a virtual PBX system, for example, companies will be able to support an individual's need to work outside the office without jeopardizing connectivity to critical assets. When cloud communications are incorporated into a disaster recovery program, decision-makers can ensure collaboration is prioritized and operations can be carried out at least on a functional level.

In today's highly sophisticated private sector, being proactive and implementing cloud services can improve a firm's continuity strategies, enabling it to stay as efficient as possible at all times, regardless of uncontrollable circumstances.

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A recent FCW report said the ability to support a remote workforce during a disaster by using cloud computing, bring your own device and other IT endeavors will reduce costs, improve efficiency and strengthen a firm's resiliency. Most of these technologies are relatively new and, as a result, unfamiliar, which invites opportunity for challenges. That said, they also provide a number of unique advantages necessary to compete in today's private sector.

The cloud and disaster recovery
In addition to offering the prospect of saving money, cloud services enable companies to improve the availability of mission-critical resources to individuals in and outside the workplace. Because most disasters require employees to conduct operations in alternative locations, having anytime access to crucial assets is a key component for keeping a business focused until it is fully recovered.

The cloud is also hosted externally, meaning it inherently gives firms an edge over local disruptions, FCW reported. This was one of the reasons why the Energy Department's Idaho National Laboratory (INL) decided to migrate to the cloud.

"We were able to release storage and capacity that our previous messaging system required for the backup capability," said Denise Stephens, INL's CIO, according to FCW. "I think that is definitely a benefit that comes with cloud solutions. As more and more cloud [services] are implemented, it reduces the footprint of what you need to keep in the way of business continuity capabilities."

Ensuring continuity strategies work as planned
FCW said training is an important part of using the cloud and mobile technologies for disaster recovery programs. After all, if employees are not familiar with the services at their disposal, they will not be able to carry out operations in a timely and efficient manner. By teaching individuals how to use an arsenal of new solutions, executives can be sure sales effectiveness is not impaired in the wake of an outage.

A separate report by Information-Management said enterprises need to formally document a continuity strategy so individuals are aware of policies and risks associated with working after an emergency. Having a hard copy of the recovery plan means individuals that may have been absent during its launch will still be aware of what needs to be done and how tasks are supposed to be carried out.

Information-Management said testing is also a critical part of ensuring a continuity plan works. If an organization waits until the program is needed before executing a dry run, individuals will likely be overwhelmed by new processes and operations will suffer. Further, failing to implement a test may mean that the system simply does not work, leaving businesses to improvise in the vain attempt to meet customer and employee demand.

As the cloud continues to evolve and provide decision-makers with new opportunities to enhance disaster recovery strategies and continuity efforts, forward-thinking executives will recognize the need to develop strong plans of action, testing and training. When advanced cloud services are leveraged efficiently, business of all sizes can ensure individuals are able to collaborate and work together to restore operations back to normal.

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Further, the ongoing transformation of the delivery of solutions throughout the enterprise is a much more sophisticated process than in the past. While at first this may have been recognized as another obstacle firms needed to overcome when creating a continuity plan, the truth is that the advent of cloud computing and hosted phone systems now makes it easier for companies to deploy disaster recovery plans.

This was highlighted in a recent report by InformationWeek, which found that roughly 30 percent of executives plan to implement cloud initiatives in 2013, up from 25 percent who said so in January of last year. Still, there are a number of challenges associated with creating a robust and effective continuity strategy, most notably determining which systems and solutions should have a failover and what tools can be brought back online when normal operations resume.

Prioritized disaster recovery plans
Mission-critical solutions should be the top priority when considering which applications to restore. In many cases, this encompasses the office phone system and other collaborative tools and other technologies that provide real-time advantages or setbacks to everyday operations. Unfortunately, InformationWeek revealed that only 17 percent of companies can restore crucial applications in less than an hour. The majority, 50 percent, said it takes them between two and 24 hours to recover mission-critical resources after a disaster, while another 30 percent said it takes between a few days and several weeks.

Lacking communication for multiple weeks could be catastrophic for an organization, as employees would not be able to interact with colleagues, partners and, most important of all, customers. A separate report by a major cloud communications provider revealed that the majority of hosted PBX systems inherently address many of the challenges associated with deploying a business continuity program. The technology enables decision-makers to quickly access backup repositories to restore operations, regardless of location. Although this ability has always been important, it has become even more crucial today due to the proliferation of mobile devices and the trend to support remote working.

Putting communication at the top of the list is an important step in creating a disaster recovery program that will work to keep an organization as efficient as possible, despite any and all unforeseen events that would otherwise cripple operations. By using a cloud PBX system, executives can be sure employees can collaborate with clients and colleagues in the wake of an emergency.

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A recent report by BizTech Magazine highlighted several tools that are emerging to help organizations improve their business continuity strategies. By implementing a broad range of cloud services, including a hosted PBX system, off-site storage and other infrastructure tools, decision-makers can improve their odds of successfully operating through and beyond crippling emergencies.

In the past, these on-demand solutions were not available to the private sector, which is why many executives have yet to fully adopt an effective disaster recovery mentality.

“Having dedicated equipment that matches everything in the production environment but sits unused 90 percent of the time is an expensive proposition,” said George Ferguson, marketing manager of continuity services at HP, according to BizTech Magazine. “The stars have aligned around virtualization, the cloud model and lower-priced disk storage.”

Understanding what goes into a disaster recovery program is the first step in adopting the right tools for the job, the news source said. Because each industry and organization within those fields is unique, decision-makers must identify what they intend to get out of a business continuity plan. If a company is heavily reliant on collaboration, for example, replacing an old phone system with hosted offerings will likely provide numerous benefits.

Cloud and disaster recovery
Unlike traditional on-premise tools, cloud-based technologies can be managed off-site in a secure environment, away from any natural or man-made occurrences that can threaten mission-critical information. Old phone systems were often limited in their ability to provide backup support in the event of a fire, flood, tornado or some other emergency, according to another No Jitter report. When the PBX or IP PBX is unavailable, telephone connectivity is non-existent.

The virtual PBX offers a distinct advantage over other strategies, as it can manage all traffic. While allowing employees to use mobile devices to make calls can work during a power outage, decision-makers need to understand that this won’t resolve the issue when customers or partners try to contact the business, No Jitter said.

Communication is often considered the lifeblood of the private sector. Without the ability to efficiently speak with customers, colleagues and partners, nothing would get done. For this reason, companies should consider using hosted PBX solutions to ensure collaboration demands are met at all times, regardless of external circumstances.

Forward-thinking decision-makers understand that the cloud can be used for more than just basic infrastructure technologies, as the hosted services can improve the likelihood of surviving a natural or man-made disaster.

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Sadly, many decision-makers either remain unaware of these benefits or simply choose to avoid them. This was highlighted in a recent study by SolarWinds, which revealed that approximately a quarter of the private sector has no preparedness or response plan in place. As a result, these firms, as well as any organizations they provide services to, will not be able to operate efficiently in the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster.

Further, only 48 percent of executives said they have software capable of resolving IT issues from remote locations, SolarWinds reported. This means that if an office phone system experiences an outage during an emergency, the majority of decision-makers will not be able to restore communications, leaving individuals stranded and without the ability to connect to colleagues, partners or clients.

“This result suggests that a staggering 25 percent of organizations remain at risk of losing their data and systems, with potentially disastrous consequences,” said Masami Hashimoto, senior manager at SolarWinds. “We advise them to implement disaster planning as a matter of urgency, and to make remote support a key element in their plans.”

How can companies improve disaster recovery programs?
The survey revealed that 30 percent of respondents were “not at all confident” in their ability to recover a reasonable amount of resources in a short amount of time. Meanwhile, a significant number of employees were not able to work because the company could not support a remote workforce.

Implementing a cloud-based phone system can help alleviate some of these issues, as the technology allows individuals to connect to vital solutions from virtually anywhere. This is an important business continuity characteristic, as the inability to work outside an office that has fallen victim to a disaster means employees cannot complete mission-critical operations to stay competitive and keep clients happy.

A report by TechTarget said the concept of a cloud PBX is not new, though the technologies backing the tools are much more sophisticated than they used to be, as they now allow companies of all sizes to restore collaboration techniques quickly and efficiently.

Disasters are a real threat that decision-makers need to consider if they want to ensure long-term success in the coming years. Because these events are not always avoidable, executives need to have a strategy in place that enables employees to get back on their feet as quickly as possible. If a firm decides to replace an old phone system with a hosted PBX system, it will likely be more prepared to continue operating in the wake of an emergency than other firms that have neglected to plan ahead.

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The list goes on and on, but most companies recognize a single characteristic as the cloud’s most advantageous quality: business continuity. The corporate landscape is surrounded by a number of threats executives have never faced before, including the cybercriminal who is more sophisticated than ever before and the constant, looming risk of an unavoidable natural or man-made disaster.

A recent report by Information Management said organizations of all sizes will deploy the cloud for business continuity benefits in 2013 if they haven’t done so already. This is largely because hosted services offer companies the ability to store resources off-premise and leverage advanced off-site resources that can improve an executive’s power to restore operations.

This area is gaining traction as enterprises and SMBs look for cost-effective ways to implement a DR strategy,” said Henrik Rosendahl, senior vice president of cloud solutions at Quantum, according to Information Management.

The benefits of cloud disaster recovery
A recent study by TwinStrata revealed that 80 percent of cloud users said they can recover mission-critical resources hosted in the virtual environments in less than 24 hours, while a quarter said they can do so nearly instantaneously. This is a stark comparison to firms not using the cloud, which say it sometimes takes them longer than a week to restore operations.

When businesses replace an old phone system with a cloud PBX, they will be able to experience these restoration benefits and more. This is especially important in today’s far-flung, distributed workplace full of remote employees. If an organization is not able to restore communications in a timely manner, it will likely suffer significant consequences in the wake of an emergency, sometimes even failing to come back to full health.

A separate report by AT&T highlighted the fact that roughly 38 percent of companies have incorporated cloud services into their disaster recovery strategies. Oftentimes, these solutions include cloud VoIP and other advanced hosted telecommunications.

“There’s certainly no shortage of potential threats or disasters around the world and it’s evident that executives are taking the necessary measures to ensure their business continuity plans are in place and actionable,” said Chris Costello of AT&T. “We’ve seen a strong emphasis on IT security and continued growth in areas of cloud and mobile applications; implying that companies are embracing the tools and services needed to continue operational activities despite potential threats and disasters.”

As the cloud continues to shape the office phone system as well as the general collaboration strategies in the private sector, decision-makers should not neglect incorporating the technology into their grand continuity scheme.

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