Is Your Business Ready? The Critical Importance of Disaster Recovery Test Runs

In the face of rising cybersecurity threats, extreme weather events and infrastructure failures, the question isn’t if your business will face disruption, it’s when. That’s why a Disaster Recovery (DR) plan isn’t a luxury; it’s a critical lifeline for your organization.

But having a DR plan on paper isn’t enough. Watch this brief video to explain why a disaster recovery plan is important – and why a good one is more than data backup.

Once your plan is in place, don’t stop there. Testing your disaster recovery procedure is the only way to confirm that your business can bounce back swiftly and completely when the unexpected occurs.

What Is a Disaster Recovery Test?

A Disaster Recovery Test is a scheduled, simulated disaster scenario where your production systems are assumed to be down, such as due to a server room flood, ransomware lockout or office fire. The IT team then activates the company’s backup systems, typically hosted in a separate data center or cloud environment.

The goal? Prove that business-critical data and applications can be restored quickly and that employees can continue operations with minimal downtime.

Beyond Compliance: The Core Reasons to Test Your DR Strategy

A DR test isn’t just a checkbox—it’s insurance for your business continuity. Here are key reasons why regularly testing your disaster recovery strategy is crucial for your company’s resilience and future:

Compliance and Legal Protection: Industries like finance, healthcare, and legal services face strict data retention and disaster recovery regulations. A documented test provides evidence of preparedness and responsiveness, helping to meet legal obligations and avoid penalties.

Cyber Insurance Validation: Cyber insurance providers increasingly demand proof of regular backups, tested recovery processes, and detailed incident documentation. Without this verifiable evidence, claims could be denied in the event of a breach, leaving your business vulnerable.

Trust and Accountability: A thoroughly tested DR plan demonstrates to clients, partners, and regulators that your business can continue delivering services even under duress. This transparency builds significant trust and strengthens your reputation, especially vital in competitive industries.

Operational Readiness: Every issue discovered during a DR test—whether a broken script, a failed login, or an outdated backup—is a critical opportunity. These findings allow you to identify and fix gaps in your recovery process before a real disaster hits, ensuring smoother operations when it truly counts.

Your Action Plan: 8 Steps for a Successful DR Test

1. Schedule the Test in Advance

Planning is key. You don’t want your DR test to interrupt actual business operations.

• Schedule during off-peak hours or weekends
• Notify all stakeholders (IT, department leads, execs)
• Define clear success metrics (e.g., restore times, employee access)

2. Simulate a Real Disaster

Pretend that your primary office location is offline, whether from a natural disaster, power outage or cyberattack. This includes:

• Shutting down on-premises servers
• Disconnecting office network access
• Cutting off cloud syncs and primary firewalls

3. Activate the DR Environment

The IT team will put online replicated systems stored in:

• A secure offsite data center
• A cloud environment such as Azure, AWS or Google Cloud
• Another geographic office with redundant infrastructure

4. Update Technical Pointers

This step ensures employees and systems are routed to the right data space:

• Update DNS records to point to DR servers
• Modify logon scripts and file shares
• Update VPN settings or RDP endpoints to reflect the new environment

5. Connect a Group of Employees to Test Effectiveness

Choose a small team of users from various departments:

• Have them log in via the DR environment
• Confirm access to files, applications, email and databases
• Ask for real-time feedback on speed and availability

6. Confirm Replication Integrity

The team should:

• Verify that the backups used were recent and complete
• Ensure transactional data (like accounting entries or client records) is up to date
• Check that permissions and user access controls are correctly configured

7. Shut Down the DR Environment

Once testing is complete:

• Disable the DR servers and services
• Reverse DNS entries and logon scripts back to production servers
• Bring the main office systems back online carefully

8. Document the Entire Process

Every step of the DR test must be recorded, including:

• Timelines of fail and recovery
• Systems impacted and restored
• Any technical or access issues faced
• Remediation steps taken to fix problems

Don’t Leave Your Data Unsecured

Running a Disaster Recovery test might sound technical—and it is—but it’s one of the most business-critical exercises your company can perform. Whether you’re a small business or an enterprise, disaster preparedness ensures survival, compliance, and client confidence. Let Fairdinkum guide your DR journey from planning through testing and ongoing support. We don’t just protect your data; we protect your future.