RTO is recovery time objective which indicates the maximum time an organisation can tolerate having its systems down after a failure. It defines how quickly normal operations must resume following a disruption. RTO is also measured in time units, such as minutes or hours. For instance, if an organisation sets an RTO of four hours, it aims to restore operations within that timeframe after a disaster occurs.
RTO is critical for maintaining business continuity and minimising operational impact. Organisations determine RTO through business impact analysis, considering factors like the nature of the business and the criticality of various systems. A well-defined RTO helps organisations develop effective disaster recovery plans that prioritise rapid restoration of services.