Recovery Point Objective (RPO)

What is recovery point objective (RPO)?

Recovery Point Objective (RPO) defines the maximum tolerable amount of data loss after a disruption. It determines the frequency of data backups or snapshots, ensuring that critical data can be restored to a point in time that meets business requirements, minimising the impact of data loss on operations and continuity.

How does recovery point objective (RPO) work?

The Recovery Point Objective (RPO) defines the maximum acceptable data loss in a disaster scenario. For example, if the RPO is one hour, backups occur every hour, allowing data to be restored to a state no older than one hour in the event of a disruption. RPO influences backup strategies, frequency, and storage requirements to meet business continuity needs effectively.

How to calculate recovery point objective?

To calculate the Recovery Point Objective (RPO), assess the maximum tolerable amount of data loss for critical systems. Consider factors like data volatility, backup frequency, and replication intervals. Determine the time between data backups or snapshots to establish the acceptable data loss window. RPO quantifies the permissible data loss, guiding backup and replication strategies for disaster recovery planning.