Many businesses believe that having backups in place means they’re fully protected from IT disasters. While backups are essential, they’re only one piece of a much bigger picture. At Edmondson's, we regularly see businesses caught out because they assumed a backup alone would get them back up and running quickly. In reality, true disaster recovery is about far more than just copying data.

Backups protect data, not operations

A backup’s main job is to store a copy of your data in case something goes wrong. That’s important, but it doesn’t guarantee your business can continue operating. If a server fails, a cyberattack hits or a fire damages equipment, restoring data is only part of the challenge. You also need working systems, applications, user access and network connectivity. Without a clear recovery plan, businesses can be left with data but no practical way to use it.

Recovery time matters

One of the biggest misunderstandings is how long recovery can take. Restoring large volumes of data can take hours or even days, depending on the backup type and internet speed. During that time, staff may be unable to work, customers can’t be served and revenue is lost. Disaster recovery focuses on reducing downtime by defining recovery time objectives and recovery point objectives, so you know how quickly systems must be restored and how much data loss is acceptable.

Cyber threats complicate recovery

Modern cyber threats have changed the rules. Ransomware attacks often target backups first, encrypting or deleting them before the business even realises what’s happening. If backups aren’t isolated, monitored and regularly tested, they may be unusable when needed most. Disaster recovery planning includes secure backup strategies, offline or immutable backups and clear procedures for responding to cyber incidents.

Hardware and infrastructure failures

Backups won’t help if the hardware or infrastructure needed to restore them isn’t available. If your server fails and replacement hardware isn’t immediately accessible, your data may be safe but your systems remain offline. Disaster recovery plans consider alternative environments, such as cloud based systems or virtual servers, that allow businesses to restore operations quickly without waiting for physical replacements.

People and processes are just as important

Disaster recovery isn’t purely technical. Staff need to know what to do when something goes wrong. Who makes decisions, who contacts suppliers, who communicates with customers and who starts the recovery process? Without clear roles and documented procedures, even a well backed up system can take far longer to recover than expected. Edmondson's helps businesses create practical recovery plans that people can actually follow under pressure.

Testing makes the difference

A backup that’s never been tested is a risk. Many businesses only discover issues during a real emergency, when it’s too late to fix them calmly. Disaster recovery planning includes regular testing of backups and recovery processes, ensuring systems can be restored and staff know their roles. Testing also highlights weaknesses that can be addressed before they become critical problems.

A complete approach to resilience

True disaster recovery combines backups, security, infrastructure planning and clear procedures. It’s about keeping your business running, not just protecting files. Edmondson's works with businesses to design disaster recovery strategies that match their size, industry and risk level, helping them stay resilient no matter what happens.

Backups are essential, but they’re only the starting point. Without a proper disaster recovery plan, a single incident can still bring operations to a halt. By taking a broader approach, businesses can protect not just their data, but their ability to operate, serve customers and recover with confidence.