Backup and disaster recovery solutions in the UAE

What is disaster recovery?

The 3-2-1 rule (and why it’s now 3-2-1-1-0)

The classic 3-2-1 rule means keeping three copies of your data, on two different types of storage, with one copy off-site. Because ransomware now targets backups, many experts extend it to 3-2-1-1-0: one copy immutable or offline, and zero errors in restore tests. We design every backup solution around these principles.

What goes into a disaster recovery plan?

A disaster recovery plan is a written guide for restoring IT after a disruption. It lists critical systems and their RTO and RPO, recovery priorities, roles and contacts, step-by-step recovery procedures, communication plans, and how to return to normal operations afterwards. We build practical DR plans with you and test them through restore tests and recovery exercises, updating them as your systems change.

Protecting backups from ransomware

Modern ransomware groups deliberately search for backups and delete or encrypt them before launching an attack, so they can force payment. Protecting backups requires several layers: immutable storage that can’t be altered for a set retention period, separate credentials and MFA for backup systems, backup servers isolated from the main network, at least one copy off-site or in the cloud, and monitoring for unusual deletion or encryption activity. We design backup systems on the assumption that attackers will try to reach them.

Backup vs disaster recovery vs business continuity

Backup protects data. Disaster recovery restores IT systems after a major disruption. Business continuity keeps the whole business operating, including people, premises, suppliers and communication, during and after a disruption. They build on each other: good backups make disaster recovery possible, and disaster recovery is a core part of business continuity. See Business Continuity

Choosing backup and DR solutions

Ask how often backups run and how long they’re kept, where copies are stored, whether they’re immutable, how quickly a full server or a single file can be restored, how often restores are tested, and what happens if your main site is unavailable. Make sure Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace data, laptops and databases are included, not just servers.

Who needs backup and DR

Every business that relies on data, which today means every business. It’s especially critical for companies with on-premise servers, ERP and finance systems, healthcare and legal records, e-commerce operations, and anyone required by clients, insurers or regulators to demonstrate recovery capability.

How disaster recovery as a service works

With DRaaS, your critical servers are continuously replicated to a cloud environment. If your primary site suffers a major failure, such as ransomware, hardware loss, a fire or a prolonged outage, we start the replicated systems in the cloud, often within minutes to hours, and redirect users to them. Once the primary site is restored, systems fail back. DRaaS gives smaller organisations the kind of recovery capability that used to require a second site, and it can be tested regularly without disrupting production.

Restore testing

We schedule restore tests for every protected system: individual files, mailboxes, full servers and, for DR customers, complete failover exercises. Results are recorded with times and any issues, and plans are updated accordingly. Testing turns backup from an assumption into evidence you can show auditors, insurers and management.