At this year’s Control24 summit, we had an exceptional session from Harpinder Powar (Field CTO at Rubrik) and Rich Cassidy (Field CISO at Rubrik). They covered a wide range of topics, from the rise of nation-state attacks and the persistence of cybercriminals in corporate systems, to the misconception that cloud providers are a safety net. But one topic that really stood out was their take on disaster recovery testing.
It’s an uncomfortable truth: annual disaster recovery (DR) tests just aren’t enough anymore.
The End of the Annual DR Test
Rich shared a familiar story from his experiences working in a large Financial Services business, where DR testing felt more like routine exercises than real-world preparations.
“We used to do an annual DR test… it would last a week, and we’d pass the test. But it was never clean, it was never as smooth as we wanted it to be.”
This hit home for many in the audience. In today’s world, where cyber attacks can strike at any time, the idea that an annual test is enough is dangerously outdated. As Harpinder put it,
“An annual DR test is not enough… it might give you a tick in the box, but it doesn’t translate into true resilience. What’s written on paper doesn’t matter unless you’ve tested it and proven it.”
Too many businesses treat DR as a compliance exercise, not a real strategy. They believe a once-a-year test is sufficient to protect against the ever-evolving threat landscape, but when the time comes to actually recover, those plans often fall apart.
Predatar’s Stance: Continuous Testing, Continuous Resilience
At Predatar, we’re 100% aligned with Rubrik on this. We believe that recovery is not just an annual exercise; it’s a continuous requirement. Our platform is built on this philosophy – automating recovery testing so that businesses aren’t left scrambling when disaster strikes.
Disasters, whether from cyber attacks or operational failures, don’t happen on a schedule. You can’t afford to wait until next year’s DR test to know if your systems are ready. Continuous resilience requires continuous testing.
As Harpinder pointed out in the session:
“It’s not always about recovering everything. In a cyber attack or any disruption, it’s often about recovering critical subsets of data and systems—those that keep your business running.”
This shift in mindset is essential for businesses today. Recovering everything isn’t always necessary or even possible, but ensuring that your critical services can come back online quickly is vital. That’s where Predatar’s automation comes in, we ensure that your critical systems are regularly tested, recovered into clean environments, and ready to go when you need them most.
The Illusion of Resilience
Rich also touched on something that resonates deeply with us at Predatar: the illusion of resilience. Many businesses have a misplaced sense of confidence, thinking they’re covered – when, in reality, they’re unprepared.
“It’s not just about having backups, it’s about making sure they work. Testing them regularly is the only way to ensure that when the worst happens, your business can get back on its feet quickly.”
This is the heart of the issue. Annual DR tests might look good on paper, but they don’t reflect the realities of modern cyber threats. What’s more, businesses that aren’t testing their recoveries regularly are leaving themselves exposed to massive risks.
The Predatar Promise: Resilience Through Automation
Predatar’s platform is designed to close this gap. We believe in continuous testing because resilience can’t be achieved with a yearly check-in. By automating recovery tests, we ensure that when disaster strikes, whether it’s a cyber attack, hardware failure, or human error, your business is ready.
To borrow from Rich’s metaphor, it’s like the Emperor’s with new clothes — many businesses are confidently marching forward, unaware that they’re dangerously exposed.
Don’t let an untested recovery plan leave you vulnerable when you need it most. mMake sure your resilience is real. Discover Predatar’s AI powered Recovery Assurance for Rubrik, Veeam, Cohestity & IBM Storage environments on our website.