How do ESPs manage backups and disaster recovery?

Backup and disaster recovery (DR) ensures ESPs can survive failures and recover customer data. Multiple layers of protection address different failure scenarios.

Data redundancy:

• Databases replicated across multiple servers
• Real-time synchronization to standby systems
• Geographic distribution (data exists in multiple regions)

Regular backups:

• Periodic snapshots of all customer data
• Transaction logs enabling point-in-time recovery
• Backups stored separately from primary systems
• Encrypted backup storage

Infrastructure redundancy:

• Multiple data centers in different locations
• Redundant network paths
• No single points of failure in critical systems
• Spare capacity to absorb failed component traffic

Recovery procedures:

• Documented runbooks for various failure scenarios
• Regular testing of recovery procedures (disaster recovery drills)
• Defined Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO)
• Clear escalation paths and communication plans

What to ask your ESP:

• What's your RPO? (How much data could be lost?)
• What's your RTO? (How long until recovery?)
• When did you last test DR procedures?
• Where are backups stored?
• Enterprise agreements often include specific SLAs around these metrics.