> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.plenit.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.plenit.com/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/faq.md).

# Frequently Asked Questions

Each answer links to the concept, guide, or reference where the details are.

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>What it is and how it differs from backup</strong></td><td>What Disaster Recovery is, how it differs from a backup, and what is replicated.</td><td><a href="/pages/4a3eb64c9e4694ee5b687d74043bce0bfb1e8e62">/pages/4a3eb64c9e4694ee5b687d74043bce0bfb1e8e62</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>The replication</strong></td><td>Frequency, loss window, recovery points, and what to replicate.</td><td><a href="/pages/8538ac2a7153f3e1cb37a09a033c2e9aec70f992">/pages/8538ac2a7153f3e1cb37a09a033c2e9aec70f992</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Failover and failback</strong></td><td>How to switch to the backup, whether it is automatic, the switchover, and the return to the primary.</td><td><a href="/pages/1d97aa8220d92ce0df7d6f4b0ff9b1f324a9fb97">/pages/1d97aa8220d92ce0df7d6f4b0ff9b1f324a9fb97</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Drills</strong></td><td>Test the plan without affecting production and what it is for.</td><td><a href="/pages/8b26183e28eba1730ffcd05f96673b293bd71135">/pages/8b26183e28eba1730ffcd05f96673b293bd71135</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

### What it is and how it differs from backup

<details>

<summary>What is Disaster Recovery?</summary>

It replicates a Server or Remote Desktop subscription to another availability zone and leaves it ready to be activated if the primary environment becomes unavailable. It is the business continuity layer for your clients' critical environments. More in [What is Disaster Recovery?](/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/concepts/what-it-is.md)

</details>

<details>

<summary>How does it differ from a backup?</summary>

Backup protects data and is recovered by restoring it step by step. Disaster Recovery replicates the entire infrastructure (compute, disks, networks, IPs, firewall, VPN) and is recovered by activating the replicated environment, which is already set up. Backup gives you back the data; Disaster Recovery gives you back operations. In critical environments, they complement each other; they do not replace each other.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What exactly is replicated?</summary>

The instances and their compute configuration, the disks and their contents, the networks and subnets, the private and public IPs, the firewall, the port forwarding rules, and the VPN. That is why, when failover is activated, the environment starts working again exactly as it was. The detail is in What is [replicated.](/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/detalles/what-gets-replicated.md)

</details>

<details>

<summary>Which services does it work on?</summary>

On Server and Remote Desktop subscriptions. Disaster Recovery is built on top of what you already have and creates its own subscription.

</details>

### The replication

<details>

<summary>How often is the environment replicated?</summary>

You choose the frequency (every 1, 3, 6, 12, or 24 hours), which defines your loss window: in the worst case, you would lose the changes made since the last replication. The recommendation is to adjust it to how much work the client can afford to lose, not by default to the highest one. You also choose the start time. More in [The replication.](/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/concepts/the-replica.md)

</details>

<details>

<summary>How many recovery points can I keep?</summary>

From 1 to 24. Each replication leaves a point to return to, and keeping several gives you room to choose which moment to recover to; this is key in the event of ransomware, where the latest point may already be encrypted and you need to go back to an earlier one. The detail is in [Replication parameters.](/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/detalles/replication-parameters.md)

</details>

<details>

<summary>Do I have to replicate everything?</summary>

No. You can exclude specific machines or disks from the plan (for example, a temporary data disk or a secondary machine) to replicate only what keeps the business running and keep the replication lighter.

</details>

### Failover and failback

<details>

<summary>How do I switch to the backup environment if the primary goes down?</summary>

With failover: services move to the Recovery site, which already has the replicated environment ready to start, so recovery is fast. Traffic is redirected according to the plan's switchover mode. [More in Failover and failback.](/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/concepts/failover-and-failback.md)

</details>

<details>

<summary>Is failover automatic?</summary>

No. Disaster Recovery does not switch over by itself: you are the one who decides when to declare the disaster and move to the Recovery site. That gives you control, but it also means the plan requires a decision; it does not trigger on its own.

</details>

<details>

<summary>How is traffic redirected to the backup site?</summary>

You can choose the switchover mode: by DNS (changes the destination that the service name points to) or by IP (keeps the address on the backup site). You define which one to use when configuring the plan.

</details>

<details>

<summary>How do I return to the primary environment when it is restored?</summary>

With failback. Since during failover you have been working in the Recovery site, those changes are the good ones: first the replication is reconfigured in reverse to bring the changes back to the Primary site, and only then is it reactivated. That way, you do not lose the work done during the contingency.

</details>

### Drills

<details>

<summary>Can I test the plan without affecting production?</summary>

Yes, with a drill: it brings up the replicated environment in parallel to check that recovery would work, without interrupting production or changing the plan. It uses a different public IP and, when finished, the drill environment is deleted. More in [Drills.](/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/concepts/drills.md)

</details>

<details>

<summary>What is the point of doing drills?</summary>

To validate that the plan recovers what you expect before you really need it, and to generate evidence: the drill leaves useful reporting for auditing, security, and compliance. A recovery plan that has not been tested is just an assumption; running it periodically makes it demonstrable.

</details>

### Next steps

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Quick Start</strong></td><td>Activate your first plan step by step.</td><td><a href="/pages/bfea32b28b8fd57877202936f0ad67af6d0dae0e">/pages/bfea32b28b8fd57877202936f0ad67af6d0dae0e</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Concepts</strong></td><td>Understand the service design decisions.</td><td><a href="/pages/f18d31bafbf0ed8ffbcf3c195380de447fe2baa7">/pages/f18d31bafbf0ed8ffbcf3c195380de447fe2baa7</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>How-to</strong></td><td>Step-by-step guides to configure and test your recovery plan.</td><td><a href="/pages/2dd9d0b799073367a72277acfe724f923a845f20">/pages/2dd9d0b799073367a72277acfe724f923a845f20</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Details</strong></td><td>The plan, the parameters, and the requirements.</td><td><a href="/pages/fa4144d9fa0784d09362cbdefd297bbd9b034806">/pages/fa4144d9fa0784d09362cbdefd297bbd9b034806</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


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