How SMBs can minimize downtime, protect data, and keep operations running no matter what happens.

Imagine this: a critical server crashes on a Monday morning, or a ransomware attack locks every workstation. For many SMBs, even a few hours of downtime can mean thousands of dollars in lost revenue — not to mention shaken customer confidence.

Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity (BC) aren’t just for enterprises. In 2025, SMBs are just as dependent on their IT infrastructure to keep sales, payroll, and customer service running. A well-planned DR strategy turns potential chaos into a temporary setback.

The Real Cost of Downtime

• For small businesses, the average downtime can cost anywhere from $137 to $427 per minute.
  
• For larger businesses, downtime can cost upwards of $5600 per minute!
• Loss of client trust and reputation damage often outlasts the incident.
• Possible non-compliance fines if sensitive data is inaccessible or compromised.

A documented DR plan reduces the duration and impact of these disruptions — protecting both your bottom line and your brand.

The Most Common SMB Risks

• Cyberattacks & Ransomware: Targeting vulnerable endpoints
• Human Error: Accidental deletions or misconfigurations
• Natural Disasters: Midwest storms, floods, and fires
• Third-Party Outages: Cloud vendor downtime or internet disruptions

Disaster Recovery vs. Business Continuity — What’s the Difference?

• Disaster Recovery: Focuses on restoring IT systems and data as quickly as possible after an incident.
• Business Continuity: Ensures essential operations — from customer support to billing — continue even while recovery is underway.

Both work hand-in-hand: recovery is technical; continuity is organizational.

Key Elements of a Solid DR/BC Plan

• Risk Assessment & Impact Analysis – Identify critical systems and data.
• Regular, Tested Backups – Preferably automated, encrypted, and off-site or cloud-based.
• Defined Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) & Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) – Establish clear targets for how fast and how much data to recover.
• Failover & Redundancy Solutions – From virtual machines to cloud failover.
• Communication Protocols – Who gets notified, how, and when.
• Annual (or Semi-Annual) Testing & Updating – Plans must be tested and refined as your business evolves.

Affordable Solutions for SMBs

• Cloud-based backup services to reduce upfront hardware costs
• Hybrid approaches for faster local restores plus off-site protection
• Automated patch management to reduce vulnerabilities
• Managed disaster recovery services that scale as you grow

Partnering with an IT solutions provider like Expedited IT Solutions lets SMBs implement enterprise-grade resilience without enterprise-grade budgets.

How Preparation Turned Days of Downtime into Minutes

A Chicago-based design agency faced a ransomware attack last year. Without a DR plan, it took them 72 hours to recover files from manual backups — costing three days of client project delays and thousands in lost revenue.

By contrast, a similar business with cloud-based DR failover was back online in under 45 minutes, with zero lost projects.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Disasters rarely strike at a “good” time. Having a documented, tested DR/BC plan is one of the most impactful investments an SMB can make to safeguard both customers and revenue.

Ready to protect your business against downtime?

Contact Expedited IT Solutions to assess your current resilience and build a right-sized recovery strategy that keeps you operating — no matter what happens.

👉 Contact us today at expediteditsolutions.com