What is the difference between failover and disaster recovery?

What is the difference between failover and disaster recovery?

Failover is a process that automatically switches to a standby system when the primary system fails. Disaster recovery, on the other hand, involves a broader strategy to restore systems and data after a catastrophic event.

Can you give me an example of each?

Sure! An example of failover is when a server goes down, and traffic is redirected to a backup server without user interruption. Disaster recovery might involve restoring data from backups after a natural disaster that affects the entire data center.

Which one is more important for a business?

Both are crucial, but it depends on the business's needs. Failover ensures minimal downtime, while disaster recovery is essential for long-term data integrity and business continuity.

How often should we test our disaster recovery plan?

It's recommended to test your disaster recovery plan at least once a year, but more frequent testing may be necessary depending on the business's size and complexity.