A First Approach in the Assessment of the Complexity of Disaster Recovery Models for SMEs

In an organization, a well devised disaster recovery plan is not only crucial in the information recovery process, but also vital in the quest to sustain daily operations. While prior research has discussed many recovery sites options, assessment of recovery site communication paths and their associated complexity is still limited in regard to the evaluation of disaster recovery (DR) models. Using the scale-free degree distribution formula, the authors present a methodical discussion concerning the network characteristics of various disaster recovery options. This study marks a pioneering effort in the DR field by applying the scale-free degree distribution formula to assess the network complexity index and overall model failure points. In addition, a modified hot model employing host virtualization designed especially for small and medium size businesses is presented. This method is particularly advantageous to small and medium size businesses as it leverages inexpensive commercial PC hardware.