No Belgian company is safe from a computer damageransomware, hardware failure, fire or human error can paralyze a business in a matter of minutes. Without disaster recovery plan(PRA), these incidents cost a Belgian SME an average of €4,700 per hour of downtime - not to mention the loss of customer confidence. A disaster recovery plan transforms a catastrophic event into a controlled interruption.
At WEBIPHI, We support SMEs in Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders in the design and testing of their disaster recovery plans. Here's the step-by-step method we apply to ensure business continuity after a computer disaster.
1. What is a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)?
A disaster recovery plan is a documented strategy that enables a company to rapidly restore its IT systems after a major incident. It aims to minimize data loss, limit disruption and ensure resumption of operations within the timeframe you have set. It's the IT equivalent of a fire escape plan: you only read it when you need it, but without it, everything collapses.
A good DRP includes :
An analysis of risks and possible scenarios
A reliable, tested backup system
A documented data restoration strategy
Operational recovery procedures assigned to managers
Regular testing and an update cycle
2. Identify risks and potential impacts
Before designing a DRP, identify the real threats to your business and assess their financial and operational impact.
Types of computer claims
Cyberattacks: ransomware, phishing, network intrusion
Hardware failures: servers, hard disks, switches
Natural disasters: fires, floods, prolonged power cuts
Human errors: accidental file deletion, misconfiguration
Supplier outages: unavailability of datacenter or cloud
Objective: classify each risk according to its severity and probability of occurrence. Belgian SMEs should also check their compliance with the Center for Cybersecurity Belgium and the European NIS2 directive, now applicable to many critical sectors.
3. Set up an effective backup system
Backup is the heart of any disaster recovery plan. Without recoverable data, no DRP is sustainable.
Good backup practices (rule 3-2-1)
3 copies of each critical data
2 different supports(local disk + cloud, for example)
1 off-site copy(remote datacenter or European sovereign cloud)
Automation backups to prevent forgetting
Encryption data at rest and in transit
Recommended solution : combine a secure cloud backup (preferably hosted in Europe for RGPD compliance) with a local backup on a dedicated server.
4. Define a system restoration plan
Once the data has been saved, you need to know how and in what order restore them on D-day.
Key steps to an effective recovery
Establish a order of priority services to be restored (billing, e-mail, ERP, website)
Have access to emergency equipment or ready-to-use cloud environments
Prepare a detailed procedure per system, accessible even off-line
Test each procedure at least twice a year
RTO and RPO : define your Recovery Time Objective(maximum acceptable interruption time) and your Recovery Point Objective(maximum tolerated data loss). These two indicators determine your entire technical and budgetary strategy.
5. Training and raising team awareness
An effective DRP relies not only on technical tools, but also on the human responsiveness. In the event of an accident, it's the team that makes the difference between 2 hours and 2 days downtime.
Key actions
Training employees in cybersecurity best practices
Organize disaster simulations to test the DRP in real-life conditions
Designate a crisis management manager and his substitute
Implement an internal and external communication plan (customers, suppliers, authorities)
6. Test and update the DRP regularly
A PRA obsolete is just as dangerous as a non-existent DRP. It needs to be tested and updated as your information system evolves.
How do you test your plan?
Perform data restoration tests at least twice a year
Simulate a cyber attack to test team reflexes
Analyze feedback after each test and adjust procedures
Update the DRP whenever the infrastructure or service provider changes
Conclusion: protect your business with a solid disaster recovery plan
A disaster recovery plan is the best insurance against downtime. For a Belgian SME, the cost of a well-structured DRP represents a fraction of the cost of a single day of uncontrolled downtime.
Need help securing your infrastructure? Contact WEBIPHI and discover our ICT and security solutions- including the backup and recovery and the network protection- to build a customized DRP for your business.
FAQ - Disaster recovery plan
What's the difference between PRA and PCA?
Visit disaster recovery plan(PRA) covers the technical restoration of IT systems after a disaster. The business continuity planning(BCP) is broader: it includes business, HR, legal and logistics processes. Belgian SMEs generally start with the DRP, which addresses 80 % of the risk of interruption.
How much does a disaster recovery plan cost for a Belgian SME?
For an SME with 10 to 50 employees, a documented and tested DRP generally costs between €2,500 and €8,000 to set up, plus a monthly subscription to a cloud backup solution (€50-300/month depending on volume). This is ten times less expensive than a single day of uncontrolled downtime.
How often should you test your DRP?
At least twice a year for restoration tests, and at least once a year for a full-scale simulation (crisis exercise). Any major infrastructure change (new server, cloud migration, new service provider) should trigger a review of the DRP.
Does the NIS2 directive require my Belgian company to have a DRP?
Since October 2024, the European NIS2 directive has imposed a documented DRP on a wide range of Belgian companies: energy, transport, healthcare, finance, digital services, critical suppliers. Even if you're not directly affected, your customers and principals are starting to demand proof of a disaster recovery plan before any contract.
