What is DR Testing?
DR Testing validates that your disaster recovery plan actually works. Most organizations have a DR plan, but few have proven it works when needed. Crispy Umbrella provides automated testing that verifies your recovery capabilities without disrupting business operations.
Why Test Your DR Plan?
- Compliance requirements - ISO 22301, SOC 2, and HIPAA require regular DR testing
- Identify gaps - Discover issues before a real disaster exposes them
- Train your team - Build muscle memory for crisis response
- Validate RTO/RPO - Prove your recovery time and point objectives are achievable
- Stakeholder confidence - Demonstrate to leadership and auditors that you're prepared
Types of DR Tests
Tabletop Exercises
Walk through disaster scenarios with your team in a meeting room setting. Low-risk way to identify gaps in your plan and train staff on procedures.
Simulation Tests
Simulate a disaster scenario without actually failing over systems. Test communication chains, notification systems, and decision-making processes.
Full Failover Tests
Actually fail over to your DR environment and operate from it. The ultimate proof that your DR plan works, performed during planned maintenance windows.
Automated Testing Features
- Scheduled tests - Automatically run tests on your chosen schedule
- Step-by-step runbooks - Guided procedures for every test type
- Automated notifications - Keep stakeholders informed throughout
- Detailed reports - Document test results for compliance audits
- Finding tracking - Track and remediate issues discovered during tests
How Often Should You Test?
- Tabletop exercises - Quarterly
- Simulation tests - Semi-annually
- Full failover tests - Annually
- After major changes - Whenever infrastructure changes significantly