Disaster Recovery Testing

Regular disaster recovery (DR) testing ensures ALCO USA can restore systems and data quickly after an outage or incident. This guide covers test types, scheduling, and how we act on results.

Why DR Testing Matters

• Validates that backups can actually be restored
• Confirms recovery time objectives (RTO) are achievable
• Identifies gaps before a real disaster occurs
• Builds team confidence and readiness

Test Types

• Tabletop exercise: discussion-based walkthrough of the DR plan
• Walkthrough: step-by-step review of recovery procedures
• Simulation: controlled test of failover in a safe environment
• Full test: complete failover to the recovery site

Testing Frequency

• Quarterly: tabletop and walkthrough exercises
• Annually: full simulation or failover test
• After changes: whenever infrastructure or applications change significantly

Running a Test

1. Define the scope and objectives
2. Notify stakeholders and schedule the window
3. Execute the recovery procedures
4. Measure recovery time and data integrity
5. Document every result and observation

Acting on Results

• Document outcomes and any failures
• Perform gap analysis against RTO and RPO targets
• Assign owners for remediation items
• Update the DR plan and retest

Contact

For disaster recovery support, reach our team:

Email: Team@alcousa.org

Phone: +1(208) 391-7176

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 6 PM EST