About what defines a disaster

For an organization, a disaster is an unplanned event that interrupts its ability to function. Usually, the event affects the delivery of critical business functions and results in a loss of data.

The following are generally recognized as the types of disasters possible:

The impact of a disaster often depends on the scale and timing of the event. Although a disaster is an event that is beyond your control, you can control the way in which your organization reacts to a disaster. By planning and preparing for a disastrous event, you can minimize the effect of the disaster.