GigaOm Radar for Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity as a Service (DR/BCaaS)v3.0

1. Executive Summary

In a world where disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC) are often viewed as necessary yet undifferentiated aspects of IT infrastructure, the landscape of disaster recovery and business continuity as a service (DR/BCaaS) is evolving with both promise and pitfalls. While organizations increasingly turn to outsourced solutions for DR/BC needs, the challenge lies in discerning value amidst a sea of providers with varied backgrounds and offerings.

DR/BCaaS represents a pivotal technology paradigm shift, offering organizations the promise of seamless data recovery and operational continuity in the face of disruptive events. It matters to organizations of all sizes and industries, promising to mitigate risks associated with data loss and downtime, thereby safeguarding revenue streams and customer trust. From startups to enterprises, the allure of DR/BCaaS lies in its ability to provide a cost-effective, scalable, and efficient solution for maintaining operational resilience.

From the perspective of C-suite executives, the imperative for adopting DR/BCaaS solutions stems from the critical need to ensure business continuity and mitigate financial and reputational risks associated with disruptions. While traditional DR approaches may have sufficed in the past, the dynamic nature of today’s business environment demands a more proactive and agile response to unforeseen events. DR/BCaaS offers the promise of offloading the burden of maintaining recovery infrastructure while providing enhanced features such as automated failover, granular testing, and diverse disaster recovery location options.

Building upon the foundations laid by previous iterations of DR/BCaaS, the technology is evolving to address emerging challenges and opportunities. Vendors are grappling with the transformation of customer-managed DR applications into consumable services, striving to balance mature orchestration and automation with user-centric design and simplicity. Moreover, the emergence of cloud-native applications necessitates a reevaluation of DR requirements, pushing providers to innovate in areas such as cloud-to-cloud DR and compatibility with diverse application architectures.

As organizations navigate the complexities of DR/BCaaS adoption, key considerations include defining the value proposition of the solution, aligning recovery objectives with business priorities, and evaluating the scalability and resilience of chosen providers. Furthermore, understanding the nuances of disaster scenarios and architectural requirements is paramount in selecting the most suitable DR/BCaaS solution for organizational needs.

In conclusion, the evolution of DR/BCaaS signifies a transformative shift in how organizations approach disaster recovery and business continuity. As technology continues to evolve and disrupt traditional paradigms, the imperative for organizations is to remain vigilant, adaptive, and informed in their pursuit of operational resilience. As organizations continue to grapple with the complexities of disaster recovery and business continuity, the evolution of DR/BCaaS represents both a challenge and an opportunity. By embracing the promise of outsourced solutions, organizations can navigate the turbulent waters of today’s business landscape with greater confidence and resilience.

This is our third year evaluating the DR/BCaaS space in the context of our Key Criteria and Radar reports. This report builds on our previous analysis and considers how the market has evolved over the last year.

This GigaOm Radar report examines 13 of the top DR/BCaaS solutions and compares offerings against the capabilities (table stakes, key features, and emerging features) and nonfunctional requirements (business criteria) outlined in the companion Key Criteria report. Together, these reports provide an overview of the market, identify leading DR/BCaaS offerings, and help decision-makers evaluate these solutions so they can make a more informed investment decision.