RTO refers to the amount of time required to recover from a disaster after being notified of a business disruption. RPO, on the other hand, defines the window of time in which data loss is tolerable for your organization. Understanding these metrics is crucial for prioritizing mission-critical workloads.

It's important to create a comprehensive list of all teams involved in disaster recovery, including their roles and contact information. Establishing a clear chain of command that includes relevant executive leadership and accountable individuals from engineering teams—such as network, systems, database, and storage—is essential for effective communication during a disaster.

Regular testing of your disaster recovery plan is vital as it helps to demonstrate whether your DR solution is adequate. These drills prepare your engineers and supporting teams to respond quickly and accurately in the event of a disaster, ensuring that everyone is familiar with the procedures and can act efficiently.