Disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) is an on-demand data protection solution that service providers deliver by backing up and recovering their clients’ infrastructure. In the event of a disaster, DRaaS initiates the failover of client workloads to a previously built secondary site.
Usually, DRaaS solutions run on the managed service provider’s (MSP) equipment to make emergency workflows optimized to meet a client’s recovery objectives. This helps to minimize downtime and ensure data protection efficiency.
How Does Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) Work?
Normally, organizations either sign specific service contracts with providers or pay per service. DRaaS providers, such as NAKIVO Disaster Recovery, can offer different combinations of compute resources (RAM and CPU performance), storage capacity, network bandwidth, data protection, and other services. A service level agreement (SLA) shapes the services that clients expect and fixes the payment amounts. Additionally, this document defines the process in case the provider doesn’t meet the agreed upon services and timelines.
Providers use DRaaS solutions to replicate client infrastructures to a secondary site or the cloud. In the event of a disaster at the client’s site, the provider initiates a failover to a secondary site. DRaaS providers are responsible for the efficiency and success of failovers.
A DRaaS solution has three core functions: replication, failover, and failback. Let’s examine each one of these in more detail.
Replication
Replication is the foundation of the disaster recovery processes. With DRaaS solutions, service providers create replicas of client infrastructures at a remote site. The two main types of replication are synchronous and asynchronous replication. Increasing the synchronization rate frequency between the main site and the DR site allows for lower recovery point objectives in exchange for additional resource consumption and cost.
Failover
The provider initiates failover in case of an incident or a disaster at the organization’s main site. Failover sequences switch the client’s production workflows to the provider-maintained secondary site. The key goal is to minimize downtime and meet the agreed upon recovery time objectives to ensure the availability of client workloads and prevent critical disruption of production workflows.
Failback
The DRaaS provider initiates a failback when the client’s primary site is operational again. DRaaS solutions should enable quick replication after completing the failback. This enhances the resilience of the infrastructure by preventing protection gaps. Otherwise another incident, like a cyberattack, occuring at the main site within a short period of time can cause irreparable damage to the client’s infrastructure.
DRaaS Operating Models
IT disaster recovery solutions are used in different ways under specific operating models by DRaaS providers. The three main models are as follows:
- Managed DRaaS. Under this model, the vendor is responsible for DR from A to Z. This includes ownership of the DR solution, installation, and configuration. They are also fully responsible for managing replication and initiating failover/failback.
Small and medium organizations (SMBs) can value this model the most due to their limited resources, finance, or expertise that prevent them from implementing DR workflows independently. Additionally, organizations don’t need to invest in infrastructure, further increasing the cost-efficiency of managed DRaaS.
- Assisted DRaaS. Under this model, the vendor provides experts to optimize and tune disaster recovery workflows in an organization. The provider and the client share the DR plan development, implementation, and execution in different proportions.
- Self-service DRaaS. Self-service disaster recovery means that the vendor only provides the DR solution. The client installs, tests, plans, manages, and executes DR workflows independently. This model suits organizations that have their own IT departments with expert teams that can use the chosen DRaaS solution efficiently.
DRaaS vs. Backup as a Service (BaaS)
The main difference between DRaaS and BaaS is the purpose of each service. Backup-as-a-service solutions focus on data. They help to create data copies for long-term or archival retention and can provide quick access to data items within those backups.
DRaaS solutions are mainly used to ensure production continuity. A DRaaS provider can copy the client’s mission-critical infrastructure to spare cloud hosts. In emergencies, a service provider can near-instantly switch an organization’s production to a secondary infrastructure and avoid disruptions that downtime might otherwise cause.
Compared to DRaaS, BaaS is usually simpler and more affordable. Backup-as-a-service solutions are suitable for organizations that aim to ensure compliance and data availability via long-time archival. This is especially true for MSPs, who can leverage solutions, such as backup for MSPs, to provide better security and resilience for their clients. However, an organization using BaaS would still require a DR instrument to maintain production continuity.
Getting the all-in-one solution from a vendor capable of running VM disaster recovery can be the most efficient approach. Additionally, a single solution can be more affordable and convenient. Lastly, a single solution with the necessary features can help you streamline data protection management, enable flexible planning, and synchronize backup, replication, and disaster recovery.
Choosing the Right Disaster Recovery Service Provider
The key points to consider when picking your DRaaS vendor and implementing a DRaaS service are the following:
- The DRaaS operating model. This defines the level of the vendor’s responsibility. Managed DRaaS is the best choice to get a full pack of services. Assisted DRaaS can suit organizations that run infrastructures, have in-house IT specialists, and only require guidelines to optimize DR workflows. Self-service DRaaS is the most affordable option that is perfect when you need an effective DR solution yet prefer to avoid third-party participation in your organization’s internal processes.
- The SLA. Service level agreements (SLAs) defining the responsibilities of clients and DRaaS providers may vary between vendors. Double-checking the SLA before signing your contract with a DRaaS provider can save you from possible operational and legal issues. Specified responsibilities, total price, recovery point objectives (RPOs), and recovery time objectives (RTOs) are the key points to review here. Make sure you fully understand the course of action if the provider is not able to keep their end of the deal.
- Cloud capabilities. In case your organization has a multi-cloud or hybrid cloud setup, check your provider’s cloud replication and recovery capabilities. This can help you ensure efficient disaster recovery for cloud workloads.
- Reliability. Check the DRaaS provider’s ability to preserve the SLA. Develop an action plan to use if a DR sequence fails.
- Testing. Testing recovery workflows can help you ensure DRaaS effectiveness and reliability. You might want to check whether your provider offers non-disruptive testing that you could use to complete regular DR “health checks”.
Two other important points to consider when choosing your service provider or building your recovery strategy are the pros and cons of DRaaS solutions. Below we explore them in detail to help you understand whether disaster recovery as a service can suit your organization.
DRaaS advantages
IT disaster recovery services offer the following improvements for SMBs and enterprises:
- Improved IT team efficiency: DR planning, maintenance, testing, and support can be time-consuming and require significant effort from your in-house IT specialists. A DRaaS provider can take over those workflows and allow your team to focus on their core responsibilities.
- Smooth integration: Delays are unacceptable when you are setting up and implementing DR sequences. Managed disaster recovery providers have their infrastructures and solutions in place, ready for immediate use. Plus, you don’t need to look for a suitable location, transport and assemble equipment, configure networks, and ensure stable power supply. For example, to quickly connect to cloud-based DR services, you only need a stable Internet access.
- Cost savings: You need to regularly invest significant funds in hardware, software, and maintenance to build and support onsite DR systems. A DRaaS solution can be much more affordable over the long term.
- No overpaying: With an onsite DR infrastructure, you have storage and hardware capabilities that you don’t use. A DRaaS solution enables you to pay only for the services, space, and performance in use.
- Fast recovery: Prolonged downtime after an IT incident can lead to additional financial and reputational losses. With a DR service, you need minutes to complete a failover that allows you to restore your production environment.
- Data accessibility: Cloud-based disaster recovery means that you can access your data and infrastructure via any device and from any location with an internet connection. Such accessibility can help you maintain production continuity and ensure regulatory compliance whenever required.
- Improved cybersecurity: DRaaS providers that host your DR site can protect your data and infrastructure from cyberthreats. Moreover, they usually follow the IT industry news, trends, and challenges to acquire the expertise and knowledge that clients might lack. Such qualifications help DRaaS providers to ensure effective protection against the most sophisticated threats, including the latest malware like Lockbit ransomware.
- Expert assistance: Compared to the in-house IT experts of most organizations, service providers can have more experience in data protection, recovery, and management. Qualified DRaaS experts can handle complicated issues faster and more efficiently than your employees in most cases.
DRaaS disadvantages
The list of DRaaS disadvantages is shorter. Nevertheless, you should understand the specific drawbacks that lead to particular challenges.
- Reliance on third parties: DRaaS providers are third parties that you don’t control. A third party can encounter different types of issues that can directly affect the disaster recovery service that they provide, putting your data, production continuity, reputation, and revenue at risk.
- Supply chain risks: The efficiency of DRaaS services relies on multiple actors in the supply chain. Every link of that chain, from the network provider to the cloud storage vendor, is a potential source of disruption that can lead to service failure. In case any link doesn’t connect, you might not be able to recover your data on time.
- Latency issues: Service quality and the recovery time can vary depending on the location of the DRaaS provider’s data center. In case your provider’s hardware is physically at a considerable distance from your production site, latency issues may cause DR performance degradation.
- Security concerns: Although service providers focus on cybersecurity, threats are ever-evolving and are becoming more sophisticated. Cloud disaster recovery services copy your data and infrastructure to an offsite online storage. However, you don’t control that replicated data and its security, entrusting this responsibility to your DRaaS provider.
The impact of DRaaS disadvantages on data integrity and availability mostly depends on the qualification of the chosen provider. You can mitigate or eliminate those negative factors by considering reputable vendors offering backup and disaster recovery services.
