Managed Backup & Disaster Recovery for Hotels
Automated, monitored and regularly tested backups for your PMS, finance and operational data, plus a documented recovery plan, so the front desk can keep checking guests in when hardware fails, ransomware strikes or a file is deleted by mistake.
- Every backup job monitored, with failures fixed by our helpdesk
- Test restores at least quarterly, so you know recovery works
- A fixed monthly fee, quoted per property after a free assessment
Prefer to talk? Call our UK team on +44 20 3642 4958
The programme
Knowing your backups work, not hoping they do
Most hotels have some form of backup. Far fewer know whether it actually works, how long a restore would take, or what the front desk should do while systems are down. This programme answers those questions, and keeps answering them every month.
It combines automated backup, off-site and immutable copies, recovery planning and regular test restores into one managed service with a fixed monthly fee. It is delivered alongside our IT support and maintenance and PMS and hotel systems expertise, so the people restoring your data understand how your hotel runs.
Because ransomware is one of the main reasons businesses need to restore data, the programme works hand in hand with our managed cyber security programme and cyber security services.
Why backup?
The essentials
RPO, RTO and the 3-2-1 rule, in plain English
Three ideas shape every backup and recovery plan. We agree each one with you, system by system, during onboarding.
Recovery Point Objective
The maximum amount of data you can afford to lose, measured in time. An RPO of one hour means backups must run at least hourly, so a failure never costs more than an hour of bookings or postings.
Recovery Time Objective
How quickly a system must be back in service after a failure. Your PMS usually needs a much shorter RTO than an archive file share, and the plan reflects that priority.
The 3-2-1 backup rule
At least three copies of your data, on two different types of storage, with one copy off-site. We add an immutable copy that ransomware cannot encrypt or delete.
Who it's for
Continuity planning for every type of property
Whether your PMS sits on a server in the back office or in the cloud, there is data that only you are responsible for protecting.
Independent and boutique hotels
An on-premise PMS server in a back office, often with a single backup drive beside it. We make recovery dependable.
IT for boutique hotelsHotel groups and chains
Consistent backup standards and central reporting across every property, with one recovery plan format.
Multi-site hotel ITLuxury hotels and resorts
Guest profiles and preference histories are central to the service you deliver. Losing them is not an option.
IT for luxury resortsConference and event hotels
Event bookings, contracts and delegate data that clients expect to be available on the day.
IT for conference hotelsServiced apartments
Cloud platforms, smart lock systems and email: being in the cloud does not automatically mean being backed up.
IT for serviced apartmentsB&Bs and guesthouses
Bookings and accounts on one or two PCs. Simple, automatic protection that does not depend on remembering a USB stick.
IT for B&BsWhat's included
Backup, recovery and continuity in one service
Each element is configured around your recovery targets and checked continuously, rather than set up once and left to run.
Automated backups
Scheduled or near-continuous backups of critical data, including PMS databases, guest history, finance systems and file shares.
Encrypted off-site copies
Encrypted copies held off-site in UK data centres, so a fire, flood or theft at the property does not take your data with it.
Immutable copies
At least one copy that cannot be altered or deleted for a set period, giving you a clean restore point after ransomware.
Microsoft 365 and cloud data
Email, OneDrive and SharePoint backed up independently of the platform, so deleted or encrypted items can be recovered.
Backup monitoring
Every backup job is checked. Failures are investigated and fixed by our helpdesk, not left for you to discover.
Regular test restores
A backup is only as good as its restore. We run recovery tests at least quarterly and share the results with you.
Disaster recovery runbook
A step-by-step recovery plan with contacts, priorities and agreed RTO and RPO targets for each system.
Front desk continuity procedures
What reception does while systems are down: arrivals lists, room status, key card and payment fallbacks, agreed in advance.
Connectivity resilience
Advice on secondary internet links and failover so cloud systems stay reachable. See network and WiFi.
Onboarding
From uncertain backups to a tested recovery plan
We do not sign off the programme until a full test restore has proved it works.
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1
Free assessment
We map what data you hold, where it lives and what is actually backed up today. Book a visit.
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2
Agree recovery targets
We set RPO and RTO targets for each system with you and confirm a fixed monthly fee.
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3
Implement
Backup software, off-site storage and immutable copies are deployed and configured for each system.
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4
Prove it
We carry out a full test restore of your most critical systems before the programme goes live.
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5
Plan and brief
We write the recovery runbook and walk your managers and front desk team through the fallback procedures.
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6
Monitor and retest
Backups are monitored continuously and test restores repeated at least quarterly and after major changes.
Service levels
What to expect when you need a restore
Restores are prioritised according to the recovery plan we agree with you, so guest-facing systems always come first.
1-hour on-site in London
Restore requests and backup failures are picked up by an engineer within one hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Agreed recovery order
PMS, payments and front desk systems are restored first, in the order set out in your runbook.
Daily backup checks
Backup jobs are checked every day, so a silent failure is caught long before you need that data.
Test restore reports
After every test restore you receive a short report showing what was tested and how long it took.
Our team is based at 86-90 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NE. For London properties, see hotel IT support in London; the programme is available to hotels across the UK.
Compare
Managed backup and DR vs a backup drive in the office
A USB drive or NAS beside the server feels like protection until the day it is needed. Here is the difference in practice.
| Managed backup & DR | "We have a backup drive" | |
|---|---|---|
| Backup status | Monitored daily, failures fixed | Assumed to be working |
| Copies | 3-2-1 with an immutable copy | A single copy, usually on the same site |
| Ransomware | Immutable copy cannot be encrypted | A connected drive is often encrypted too |
| Testing | Test restores at least quarterly | Never tested until it is needed |
| Recovery plan | Documented runbook with RTO and RPO | Worked out during the crisis |
| Front desk | Agreed fallback procedures | Staff improvise while guests wait |
| Cost | Fixed monthly fee | Emergency recovery costs and lost revenue |
Problems it prevents
Hotel data disasters the programme prevents
Data loss in a hotel is rarely dramatic. It is usually a failed disk, a mistaken click or a malicious email, followed by the realisation that the backup has not run for weeks.
Back to basics: if you cannot say when your last successful test restore was, your recovery time is unknown. The free assessment answers that question.
PMS server failure on arrival day
A failed server means no arrivals list and no room status. A tested recovery plan gets the PMS back in a known, agreed time.
Ransomware encrypting reservations
Immutable copies give you a clean restore point without negotiating with criminals.
Accidental deletion
A deleted folio export, rate sheet or finance folder can be restored from a recent version in a single helpdesk call.
Front desk workstation rebuilds
Standard images and documented settings mean a failed reception PC is replaced quickly, without hunting for passwords.
Lost key card and POS configuration
Lock system databases and POS settings are backed up, so replacing hardware does not mean rebuilding from scratch.
Lost network and WiFi settings
Firewall, switch and WiFi controller configurations are backed up, so replacement hardware can be restored quickly.
FAQ
Hotel backup and disaster recovery: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between backup and disaster recovery?
Backup is having copies of your data. Disaster recovery is the plan, tools and people that get your systems running again from those copies within an agreed time. This programme covers both, plus the front desk procedures that keep the hotel operating in between.
What are RTO and RPO, and which do we need?
RPO (Recovery Point Objective) is how much data you can afford to lose, measured in time. RTO (Recovery Time Objective) is how quickly a system must be back in service. You need both, and they differ by system. We agree them with you during onboarding.
Our PMS is in the cloud. Do we still need backup?
Your PMS vendor is responsible for their platform, but check what your contract says about data retention and restoration. You will still have local and cloud data the vendor does not protect, such as finance, email, file shares and key card or POS servers, and you need connectivity to reach the PMS. We review vendor terms and cover the gaps.
How often do you test restores?
Test restores are scheduled at least quarterly and after any significant change, such as a PMS upgrade or server replacement. You receive a short report each time.
Will backups protect us against ransomware?
Backups are your last line of defence. Following the 3-2-1 rule with an immutable or offline copy means attackers cannot encrypt or delete every copy. For prevention, combine this programme with managed cyber security.
How much does managed backup and disaster recovery cost?
It is a fixed monthly fee, quoted per property after a free assessment. It depends on how much data you hold, how many systems are covered and the recovery targets you need.
Related programmes and guides
When did you last test a restore?
Book a free continuity assessment. We will check what is really backed up, how long recovery would take and quote a fixed monthly fee to close the gaps.