When you plan your backups, two terms come up again and again: RTO and RPO. They sound technical, but they answer two simple questions.
RPO: how much data can you afford to lose?
Recovery Point Objective is about the gap between your last good backup and the moment something goes wrong. If you back up once a night and your server fails at 4pm, you could lose a day’s work. An RPO of one hour means you need backups at least every hour.
RTO: how long can you be down?
Recovery Time Objective is how long it takes to get a system working again. If your finance system must be back within four hours, that is your RTO for it.
Why they matter
- They stop you guessing how much protection you need
- They help you compare services on a like-for-like basis
- They make it easier to explain the cost to your board
Setting them for your business
Different systems need different targets. Your email and your accounts may need a fast recovery, while an old archive can wait. Ask each department what would hurt most if it were unavailable, then set targets that match.
Checking you can meet them
A target is only useful if you have proved you can hit it. Run a test restore, time it, and compare the result to your RTO.
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