The two terms are often used as if they mean the same thing, but they solve different problems. Understanding the difference helps you decide what your business really needs.
What backup does
Backup is a copy of your data, kept so that you can restore files, folders or systems if the original is lost, damaged or deleted. It answers the question: can we get our data back?
What disaster recovery does
Disaster recovery (DR) is the plan and the technology that gets your business running again after a major disruption. It covers your systems, applications, connectivity and people. It answers the question: how quickly can we carry on working?
The key differences
- Backup protects data. DR restores operations.
- Backup can be a file or a whole system. DR focuses on getting services running.
- Backup is measured by how much data you could lose. DR is measured by how long you could be down.
Why you usually need both
Backup is the foundation. Without clean, recent copies, there is nothing to recover from. DR builds on it by deciding what must come back first, where it will run and who does what.
Where to start
Begin by listing the systems your business could not work without, then decide how long you could manage without each one. That tells you how much protection each system needs.
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