Clause guide
Disaster Recovery Clause clause: meaning, risks, and what to negotiate
Sets requirements for restoring systems or services after a serious failure or disaster event.
What it means
Disaster recovery planning affects how quickly services, data, and systems can be restored after major incidents.
Common risks
- • Recovery targets may be missing or unrealistic.
- • Backup and restoration responsibilities may be unclear.
- • Testing may not actually happen.
What to check before signing
- • Are recovery time and recovery point objectives defined?
- • How often are backups taken and tested?
- • What are the provider’s obligations after a major outage?
Negotiation ideas
- • Define realistic recovery targets.
- • Require regular backup and recovery testing.
- • Limit the clause to services where recovery timing truly matters.
Example clause
“Provider shall maintain a disaster recovery plan designed to restore the Services in accordance with the agreed recovery time and recovery point objectives set out in the applicable Statement of Work.”
Frequently asked questions
What is a disaster recovery clause?
It is a clause setting expectations for restoring systems or services after a serious operational failure.
Related clauses
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