The relentless expansion of the Internet has resulted in 24x7 demands on business globally. Developments such as web 2.0, mobile computing, and wireless hotspots mean that application and system availability requirements become more and more critical. In turn, the processes and tools required to protect those applications have evolved as well.

Today there are a myriad of technologies offering different approaches to data protection, application availability, high availability and disaster recovery. These technologies typically have at least one thing in common: they are IT-based solutions that are built to protect IT assets. When it comes to business continuity, it is imperative that choosing the right solution is a business decision based on the level of risk and disruption that can be tolerated by the different parts of the business.

This paper explores some of the factors which will govern the selection of the right solutions to deliver an appropriate solution for business continuity.