How are RTOs utilized?

Recovery Time Objectives play an integral role in organizational continuity planning. Specifically, RTOs are used to inform how companies devise their recovery strategies to prepare for cyber incidents that cannot be prevented. They do this by clarifying the recovery needs of an organization, allowing stakeholders to accurately determine which backup and recovery solutions they require to maintain optimal continuity.

In the process of calculating RTOs, organizations evaluate the duration for which they can afford to operate without certain functions. This enables them to establish a priority for the recovery of systems and applications, as well as a timeframe within which they must be restored. By guiding backup and recovery processes, RTOs enable organizations to mitigate the impact of cyber incidents and minimize downtime.

How Are RTOs Calculated?

To calculate Recovery Time Objectives, organizations take account of systems and processes and the significance of their roles in operations, then determine an acceptable timeframe for recovery. The following is a guideline for how Recovery Times Objectives are determined:

1. Identify systems: An organization will conduct an inventory of all of the systems, applications, and processes that comprise its IT operations.

2. Assess impact & determine tolerance: The organization will systematically assess identified systems, applications, and processes and evaluate the potential effects of downtime based on each one's criticality to operations. From this, they determine their tolerance for downtime, with more essential systems having a lower associated tolerance.

3. Establish backup & recovery measures: With its priorities established, the organization must select backup and recovery measures that can enable it to respond appropriately in the event of an incident or disaster. Depending on the nature of the organization and its operations, these measures can vary widely. Some critical systems may require an RTO close to zero, while other less vital functions can be restored minutes or even hours after an incident with minimal impact on operations.

With RPOs determined and appropriate backup and recovery solutions in place, the organization can establish protocols and procedures for their implementation to ensure optimal recovery performance.

What is the difference between a Recovery Time Objective and a Recovery Point Objective?

Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) are similar in that they both pertain to incident recovery and business continuity. However, there is a clear distinction to be drawn between them.

Recovery Time Objectives specifically express the acceptable amount of time from incident to recovery that an organization determines as acceptable. Recovery Point Objectives, however, are focused primarily on data loss rather than time to recovery. An RPO indicates the acceptable length of time between backups that an organization can permit without sacrificing operational continuity.

While RTOs and RPOs are distinct but related metrics which together serve to inform and guide backup and recovery processes. When used in conjunction, they enable organizations to establish incident recovery frameworks that minimize disruption and data loss and facilitate business continuity.