Is Your Data Recovery Plan Doomed? UK IT Pros Unveil “Titanic Mindset”
Recent studies have revealed that IT professionals in the U.K. are unknowingly adopting a “Titanic mindset” when it comes to data recovery, setting themselves on a collision course with potential disaster.
Despite the alarming fact that 78% of surveyed professionals admitted their organizations had experienced data loss due to system failures, human errors, or cyberattacks in the past year, only 54% expressed confidence in their ability to recover data and minimize downtime in the face of a future catastrophe.
Assurestor, a leading provider of recoverability solutions, conducted a comprehensive survey of over 250 senior-level IT professionals, including CIOs and CTOs, in U.K. organizations in July 2024. The results painted a grim picture, with 35% citing financial loss as the most significant consequence of data loss.
The findings were further validated by a report from Splunk in June, revealing that major companies were losing approximately $9,000 per minute of system failure or service degradation, leading to direct revenue loss, reduced shareholder value, decreased productivity, and reputational harm.
SEE: 1/3 of Companies Suffered a SaaS Data Breach in Last Year
The impacts of data loss, as highlighted in the Assurestor report, were not limited to financial losses but also included customer service implications, operational downtime, and in extreme cases, the risk of business closure.
The escalating volume of sensitive data, as per an August report from Perforce, has contributed to a surge in data breaches, with 74% of organizations handling sensitive data increasing their insecure data storage in various environments.
UK IT pros are not regularly testing their data recovery processes
Despite the imminent risks, IT leaders in the U.K. have been neglecting essential steps to safeguard their data, including regular data recovery testing. Shockingly, only 5% of organizations conduct monthly tests, while 20% test once a year or even less frequently, as per the Assurestor report. Among the few who test more frequently, 60% only verify data recoverability every six months.
In a statement, Stephen Young, executive director at Assurestor, warned about the prevalent “Titanic mindset” among organizations, with many believing they are invulnerable until disaster strikes. He pointed out high-profile incidents like CrowdStrike and the British Library, where downtime and losses ran into billions due to inadequate technology infrastructure.
SEE: Downtime costs the world’s largest companies $400 billion a year, according to Splunk
Young emphasized the importance of instilling confidence in data recoverability, urging organizations to identify their recovery needs, conduct thorough testing, and ensure readiness for any potential data event.
The biggest reason for the lack of data recoverability planning? No one else seems to care
The Assurestor report highlighted a fundamental reason for the lack of data recovery planning — internal support. Executives were identified as not allocating adequate resources, with 29% citing financial constraints and 39% lacking in-house expertise. Lack of senior support was also a concern for 28% of respondents.
Experts at Assurestor cautioned that the absence of top-down support could foster a culture of indifference and complacency within organizations, where data protection may not be considered a top priority.
5 tips for supporting your data recovery process
- Establish a recovery environment for regular testing without disrupting daily operations.
- Appoint a chief recovery officer to oversee data recovery processes and report on recoverability status.
- Redefine the definition of “disaster” to include cyberattacks and prioritize backup plans accordingly.
- Test data recovery plans and technologies regularly, adapting them as necessary.
- Calculate potential downtime costs and ensure recovery plans offer adequate protection.
In conclusion, Young stressed the non-negotiable nature of system reliability and data recovery, cautioning organizations to address uncertainties and bolster their readiness before disaster strikes.