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In this context, backups are simply copies of data and configurations, while disaster recovery is the broader plan to restore both systems and operations after a disruption. Backups provide the data you need to recover, but the disaster recovery plan outlines the steps, processes, and timelines to bring the entire operation back online—your IT and OT environments, networks, control systems, and safety-critical procedures included.

In an industrial setting, that plan typically includes objectives like how quickly you must resume operations (RTO) and how much data loss is acceptable (RPO), along with the specific restoration steps, alternative work arrangements, communication protocols, and responsibilities across teams. It also accounts for dependencies between systems, the sequence of restoring equipment, and validating that control systems (like PLCs, HMI, and networked devices) are functioning safely.

A key point is that backups alone aren’t enough without a tested recovery process. Backups can be corrupt or incomplete, and without regular testing, you may discover you cannot restore them reliably when a disruption occurs. That testing is part of the disaster recovery practice, ensuring that when an incident happens, you can restore data and reestablish operations within the required time frames.

So, the main difference is that backups are data copies, while disaster recovery is the comprehensive plan to restore both data and the ability to operate, with tested procedures and objectives to guide a timely resumption of production.