Preparing your business for every type of disaster is critical. Even if you weren’t affected by this year’s historic hurricane season, earthquakes, fires and power outages are ever-present threats to any business’s future. Virtualization might just be your ticket to surviving the next disaster.

Telecommunications systems are extremely valuable, especially for businesses focused on sales and customer service. One day without these services can prove fatal for any business, which is why a well-crafted disaster recovery plan that protects Voice over IP (VoIP) networks is crucial.

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have already caused billions of dollars in damages, but hurricane season is far from over. Experts are predicting that there will be five more major tropical storms through October, and if they present risks to your business, it’s time to establish a watertight disaster recovery (DR) plan.

Truly understanding the ins and outs of virtualization is not for the faint hearted. It’s a complicated field that is constantly evolving, but one thing remains mostly the same: its benefits. Read on for an uncomplicated recap of just a few of virtualization’s greatest advantages.

While it’s easy to turn a blind eye against hurricane warnings and think “I already have a business continuity plan in place”, it pays to be extremely cautious, especially when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts up to four unusually active hurricanes this year.

Whether or not you understand virtualization, there’s a good chance you’ve never had a hands-on experience with a virtualized desktop. As one of the most basic applications of virtualization technology, network-based desktops are the perfect example of how businesses can benefit from any form of virtualization.

When disaster strikes, organizations need to put their business continuity plans into action and recover their IT systems as quickly as possible. Failing to do so can mean serious financial and reputational repercussions. Despite this, investments in disaster recovery are set aside each year for high-tech IT investments, and every year companies and employees continue to suffer for it.

Earlier this year, thousands of Delta passengers worldwide were grounded due to a power outage that halted critical IT operations. This was a huge problem not only for the many delayed travelers, but also for the airline company itself. Within three days, the airline company cancelled around 2300 flights and paid over millions of dollars in downtime costs.

Your service provider, who you have tasked with looking after your company’s IT, has kept your business up and running for the past 10 years. Usually, that kind of longevity in developing continuity plans has resulted to some providers overlooking or underestimating certain issues.

Many business owners think that Virtualization and Disaster Recovery are two separate services. And while that’s true in most respects, they actually have more in common than you think. Particularly in how Virtualization can serve as a legitimate Disaster Recovery solution.