These days, it is rare to find a company without a disaster recovery plan - a fact due in large part to a rash of high-profile disasters in recent years. Hurricanes, terrorist attacks, tsunamis and even viruses have forced companies worldwide to think harder about how they would keep their businesses afloat in the wake of a natural disaster or other emergency.

The risks are too great to ignore. But many companies are still not doing enough to protect their businesses. Disaster recovery plans often sit untested month after month and quickly become outdated. Many plans are not thorough enough to bring operations back to full functionality in an emergency. Some plans focus too heavily on the limited vantage point of IT - missing the broader business perspective. The good news is that technology advancements in the marketplace are making it easier and less expensive to maintain effective, comprehensive disaster recovery plans.