Organizations today have their pick of powerful software tools to help them increase their resilience and recover their IT systems, but choosing and using such products is anything but straightforward. In today’s post, we’ll offer practical guidance to help you avoid common pitfalls in BC and IT/DR software selection.
We are living in a golden age of software that helps organizations manage their business continuity (BC) programs and recover their critical systems and applications. But many organizations find that selecting and implementing such tools creates as many challenges as it solves.
All BC and IT disaster recovery (IT/DR) software tools share a common goal: to help organizations save time and improve efficiency. They also share a few common drawbacks, including the initial expense and the time and effort they take to learn and maintain.
Read on for a breakdown of the three main types of BC and IT/DR software, a discussion of the common pitfalls in using such tools, and some advice on choosing and implementing them so that they truly enhance your organization’s resilience.
The software available to help today’s organizations improve their operational resilience and recover their technology systems can be divided into three categories:
These are the tools that help you manage your BC program. They typically replace Word and Excel, the tools most commonly used before the advent of modern BC software. (Word and Excel are still a perfectly viable solution for managing the programs of smaller companies.) These tools typically help organizations accomplish such core BC tasks as performing risk assessments, conducting business impact analyses (BIAs), writing and updating recovery plans, managing crises, tracking compliance, and conducting exercises. Their superpower is their ability to aggregate data. Many also facilitate collaboration and reporting. Examples: Fusion Framework System, Castellan, Archer, BC in the Cloud, and MHA Consulting’s 0wn BCMMetrics.
These tools help organizations recover their technology systems and applications in the wake of disruptions. These are the most widely used of three types of software. In the modern world, they are close to being necessities. Their focus is on backing up and replicating data and allowing its recovery after disruptions. They typically offer automated backup scheduling, failover capabilities, and recovery testing to minimize downtime and data loss. Examples: VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM), Veeam, Zerto, Rubrik, Commvault, and Acronis.
These tools provide an overarching recovery capability. They manage the use of the IT/DR recovery tools described above, executing user-written scripts at the push of a button. Typically used only at large, complex organizations (with big IT/DR budgets), these tools coordinate disaster recovery processes, reducing manual effort and improving response times. They can trigger failover and failback, validate recovery workflows, and integrate with broader IT resilience strategies. Examples: IBM Resiliency Orchestration.
Choosing the right BC and IT/DR software starts with understanding what each type of tool is designed to do. Whether you need planning support, backup and recovery capabilities, or full-scale automation, selecting the right solution—and maintaining it properly—can make all the difference in your organization’s resilience.
While BC and IT/DR software can enhance resilience, multiple pitfalls exist that often undermine their effectiveness. Here are the ones we encounter most often:
These tools require ongoing upkeep, including training staff, updating data, and managing configurations. In some cases, organizations may need a dedicated person just to maintain them.
The effectiveness of these tools depends entirely on accurate, up-to-date data. Errors in CMDBs and other data sources can propagate throughout the system, leading to failures in recovery and response or manual updates to documentation due to the errors.
Automation and sophisticated dashboards can create the illusion that everything is under control, leading practitioners to become complacent—until a crisis reveals gaps in their plans.
These tools increase efficiency, but they also amplify errors if data is incorrect or if processes aren’t fully thought out. Automation speeds up recovery—but it also accelerates errors if data is inaccurate or processes are flawed. A bad recovery step executed at machine speed can spread problems rather than solve them.
Some BC planning tools don’t capture the actionable steps needed during an actual incident. Teams may assume a plan is complete because it was auto-generated, only to find critical gaps when they need to use it.
Orchestration tools are designed for large, complex organizations but are often overkill for mid-sized or smaller companies. Because they are rarely used outside of real disasters, they require extensive testing and maintenance to remain effective.
Some organizations invest in orchestration software without a clear need, thinking it will streamline IT/DR recovery. But for many, the cost, effort, and complexity outweigh the benefits.
BC and IT/DR software can be powerful, but they are not set-it-and-forget-it solutions. The key is choosing the right tools, maintaining them properly, and ensuring they enhance—not replace—good planning and decision-making.
Selecting the right BC and IT/DR software requires a practical, objective approach—one that focuses on real needs rather than flashy features.
Before investing in any tool, clearly define the problem you're trying to solve. Identify the specific efficiencies you need, whether in plan development, IT/DR recovery, or orchestration.
Avoid buying more software than you can realistically use. Consider your organization’s size, complexity, and risk appetite to ensure you're not over- or under-investing.
Every tool requires training, maintenance, and data accuracy to be effective. Factor in the resources needed to keep it functional before making a decision.
Even the most automated systems require ongoing testing to ensure they will work when needed. Set up routine tests, updates, and reviews to prevent surprises in a crisis.
The best BC and IT/DR tools are the ones that fit your organization's needs and capabilities—not the most expensive or most feature-packed. Choose wisely, maintain diligently, and test often.
BC and IT/DR software can be a game-changer for organizations looking to strengthen resilience and streamline recovery processes. However, these tools are only as effective as the effort put into selecting, maintaining, and testing them.
By taking a measured, needs-based approach, organizations can avoid common pitfalls and invest in solutions that provide real value. The key is to choose wisely, right-size your investment, and ensure your tools support—not replace—strong planning and execution.
As mentioned above, MHA offers a BC software tool suite, BCMMetrics. Developed by our consultants for use in client engagements, BCMMetrics is available to any company by subscription. It includes tools to help organizations conduct BIAs, ensure compliance, and create and store recovery plans, among other essential tasks.
Reflecting its origins as a platform built by BC practitioners for BC practitioners, BCMMetrics is a lean, functional suite that appeals to organizations that prioritize efficiency and practicality. If you're looking for a clean, cost-effective platform to help you manage your BC program, BCMMetrics might be right for you.