Key Considerations for Reviewing Third-Party Service Agreements for Disaster Recovery Services

C.

When reviewing a third-party service agreement for disaster recovery services, it is important to consider various factors, but one factor is more critical than the others. The MOST important factor to consider is the inclusion of recovery point objectives (RPOs) and recovery time objectives (RTOs) in the agreement.

RPOs and RTOs are critical components of a disaster recovery plan. RPO refers to the maximum amount of data loss that an organization can tolerate in the event of a disaster, while RTO refers to the maximum amount of downtime that an organization can tolerate before resuming normal operations. In other words, RPO and RTO define the maximum tolerable data loss and downtime that a business can afford.

By including RPOs and RTOs in the third-party service agreement, an organization can ensure that the third-party service provider is able to meet its requirements for recovering data and systems in the event of a disaster. Failure to meet RPOs and RTOs could result in significant data loss and downtime for the business, leading to financial losses and reputational damage.

While the other options listed in the answer choices are also important considerations when reviewing a third-party service agreement for disaster recovery services, they are not as critical as the inclusion of RPOs and RTOs. For example, while obtaining the lowest price possible may be desirable, it should not be the primary consideration when selecting a third-party service provider for disaster recovery. Similarly, while addressing security and regulatory requirements and retaining ownership of intellectual property are important, they do not directly impact the ability of the third-party service provider to recover data and systems in the event of a disaster.