# Backup and disaster recovery review: know you can restore before you need to.

> A fixed-price backup and disaster recovery review for UK businesses, £525 (list £750): we check what is backed up, where it goes and how long recovery would take, then give you a prioritised list of fixes. Most businesses have backups; far fewer have tested a full restore or keep a copy that ransomware cannot reach.

Source: https://wharfcloud.co.uk/backup-dr-review · Last updated 21 October 2026 · WharfCloud

## At a glance

- **Price:** £525 one-off (list £750)
- **What you get:** Coverage map, recovery estimates, fix list
- **Covers:** Servers, databases, file shares, cloud apps
- **Access needed:** Read-only, or a guided call
- **Vendor-neutral:** We review the tools you already use

## What we check

- **Coverage.** Every server, database, file share and cloud service (such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace mailboxes and files) and whether each one is actually backed up.
- **Copies and separation.** How many copies exist, on how many kinds of storage, and whether at least one is offline or immutable so ransomware and a compromised admin account cannot delete it.
- **Recovery point.** How much work you would lose: the gap between backups for each system.
- **Recovery time.** How long a realistic restore of each important system would take, including finding the right person and the right password.
- **Access and alerts.** Who can delete backups, whether that access uses multi-factor authentication, and whether anyone notices when a backup job fails.
- **The plan on paper.** Whether a written recovery plan exists, and whether it would still work if your usual IT person were on holiday.

We use the National Cyber Security Centre's [small organisations guide](https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/small-organisations-guide-to-cyber-security) and its advice on [offline backups](https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/offline-backups-in-an-online-world) as the baseline, and adjust for the size and risk of your business.

## What you receive

Table: Deliverables from the backup and disaster recovery review

| Deliverable | What it tells you |
| --- | --- |
| Backup coverage map | Each system, whether it is backed up, how often, where to and for how long. |
| Recovery estimates | Realistic recovery point and recovery time for each important system. |
| Restore test plan | A safe way to prove a restore works, without touching production. |
| Prioritised fix list | What to fix first, why, and a rough cost for each item. |

Want a head start? Our free [UK small business backup checklist](https://wharfcloud.co.uk/guides/uk-small-business-backup-checklist) covers the basics you can check today.

## How it works

1. **Book online.** Pay by card. A person checks every first order before work starts.
2. **Inventory call.** We list your systems with you and agree which ones matter most.
3. **Read-only review.** We look at backup consoles and settings with read-only access or on a guided screen share. We change nothing.
4. **Report and walkthrough.** You get the written report and a call to go through the fix list.

## Price

- **Review:** £525 intro price (first 50 customers), £750 list price (one-off). Backup coverage, restore test plan and fixes. Includes: Backup coverage map; Recovery time and point estimates; Prioritised fix list.

Prices in GBP. No VAT is added: we are not VAT registered. Order online: https://wharfcloud.co.uk/app/order/backup-dr-review?plan=standard

## Questions we get asked

### Do you run a test restore?

We give you a restore test plan and can run it with you if you want, in a way that does not touch your live systems. We never restore over production data during the review.

### We use Microsoft 365. Isn't that backed up already?

Microsoft keeps the service running and keeps deleted items for limited retention periods. Recovering from your own mistakes, a departed member of staff or a compromised account is largely down to you and your settings. We check what your retention and backup settings actually cover.

### Do we have to switch backup software?

No. We review what you already use. If a tool is the problem we say so, but most fixes are settings, separation and testing.

### Is this enough for Cyber Essentials or an insurer?

It helps you answer their backup questions with evidence, but it is not a certification. We tell you plainly which gaps those questionnaires usually ask about. For the Cyber Essentials rules on unsupported software and patching, see our [Cyber Essentials guide](https://wharfcloud.co.uk/guides/cyber-essentials-unsupported-software).

---

WharfCloud is a trading name of Sunucu Internet Services Consultancy Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 12963678. Not VAT registered.
Support: engineers Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00 UK time. Critical incidents: A person responds to critical incidents within 1 hour (Every day, 07:00 to 23:00 UK time). Automated monitoring and automated recovery overnight and at weekends.
Contact: hello@wharfcloud.co.uk · https://wharfcloud.co.uk/contact