Greater Manchester firms urged to strengthen data backup and disaster recovery plans

Summary

Greater Manchester and Lancashire firms of all sizes risk operational disruption from cyberattacks, ransomware, flooding, and power outages. Ransomware attacks encrypt vital data and demand payment, while accidental deletions and supplier failures can halt sales, damage reputation, and breach client contracts. Business continuity is now factored into investor and insurer assessments of a company's long-term viability.

Effective backup and disaster recovery strategies require businesses to define Recovery Point Objective (RPO), which sets the maximum acceptable time between backups, and Recovery Time Objective (RTO), which specifies how quickly systems must be restored. The industry-standard 3-2-1 rule recommends keeping three data copies on two different media types, with one copy stored offsite to protect against simultaneous loss events and cyber threats.

Greater Manchester businesses should assess critical systems—including finance records, CRM platforms, and customer data—and match recovery requirements to realistic downtime tolerance. Regular testing of backups, clear documentation of recovery procedures, and ongoing monitoring are essential; untested backups may fail when needed most, and cloud services alone do not guarantee protection without independent configuration and testing.

Common questions

What is this article about?

Businesses across Greater Manchester face mounting risks from cyberattacks and environmental disruptions that require robust backup and disaster recovery strategies to protect operations and maintain client trust. Effective planning, combined with regular testing and clear recovery objectives, is increasingly viewed as a competitive advantage rather than a purely defensive measure.

When was this published?

This article was published on 18 June 2026.

Who published this article?

This article was published by Business Manchester.