Disaster Recovery Drills and Why We Run Them
A disaster recovery plan that has never been rehearsed is a theory. Drills turn it into a practised routine, exposing gaps and outdated steps while there is no real pressure. The first time you recover should never be during an actual disaster.
This article explains what a DR drill involves and what we learn from running them.
What a Drill Looks Like
We simulate an incident and follow the runbook as if it were real, timing each step.
- Choose a realistic failure scenario.
- Recover into an isolated environment using the runbook.
- Measure how long recovery actually took.
- Record and fix anything that did not go to plan.
Why It Pays Off
Drills routinely uncover missing access details, outdated steps and restores that take far longer than expected — all far better discovered in a drill than a crisis.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should we run drills?
At least once a year for critical systems, and after major changes to your infrastructure.
Does a drill affect the live system?
No — we recover into a separate environment so production is never at risk.
If you need a hand with any of this, your Progressive Robot delivery team is ready to help. Raise a ticket from the Support area of your client portal or speak to your account manager and we will guide you through the next steps.