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Disaster Recovery

In this guide we look at Disaster Recovery Planning and explain why it is so important to business today.

Welcome to another of our user guides that takes the mystery out of IT for business owners. In this guide we explain what disaster recovery is and why it is vital to have a robust plan in place should the unexpected occur.

DRaaS Disaster Recovery as a Service

Disasters can and do happen. Cyber-attacks, natural disasters, and system failures are just a few of the uncontrollable events that could potentially harm your company. Regardless of the size of your business, a physical or technological disaster could result in a significant financial loss. However, although disasters are not always preventable, it is possible to minimise their impact.

In the event of a disaster, a recovery plan will enable you to minimise downtime and reassure your customers.

Reduce the Impact of Natural Disasters

Floods, hurricanes, blizzards, earthquakes, and other natural disasters are difficult to predict and almost impossible to control. Such disasters can result in significant downtime for businesses. You may lose access to phone lines, to customer files, and even to your office. Without a predetermined disaster recovery plan, you risk damaging the health of your company.

Human Error

People make mistakes. Unfortunately, a single error can sometimes result in the loss of data or a major product flaw. Of course, one of the best ways to minimise human error is to train your employees to a high standard. But it’s also important to be prepared by having a disaster recovery system. Putting a disaster recovery plan in place is one of the most important steps a company can take. A thorough plan ensures that you will have no unnecessary downtime after a disaster and that you will continue to have access to data.

Cyber Attack

Cybercrime in Ireland is double global levels and businesses of all sizes and in all sectors have been affected. Looking at these trends, those cyber- attacks are only going to increase in the coming years. All size businesses must assess their risks individually. It’s been shown that the chances of a smaller business having a breach is much greater and the likelihood of them making a full recovery is a lot less. Why? Because they don’t have the infrastructure in place to both protect them from attack and help them recover should such a disaster occur.

More data:
There has never been so much processing and storage of information as there is today. There is also more dependency on IT systems and therefore cybercrime has become very lucrative. The hackers know the high impact they can create on a business. It’s not just something related to the ‘computer systems going down’, it could be the business going down the drain.

An attack can mean loss of data and downtime which in turn could affect your business negatively. Losing customers, loss of revenue and damage to reputation are all scary notions.

How to Protect Having the correct processes in place to help prevent that attack is the first priority. And also having a plan in place should a disaster occur so you can recover quickly from it and ensure business continuity. Disaster Recover not only for on premise but also for the cloud environment.

A Solid Disaster Plan

Consider your business, what would happen if you lost some data? Or data was compromised? Think about what the cost to your organisation would be. Not only the loss of reputation, clients or money but the regulations in your sector could result in the closure of the business. That is why it is so important to have a plan in place when it comes to business continuity and disaster recovery.

What is Business Continuity?

These attacks can and do happen regularly. However, having a plan in place to ensure your critical business applications can continue during a disaster is the best solution.

Attacks can be man-made, natural or via cyber criminals, you need a robust plan and systems in place that offer peace of mind should the worst happen. The impact on your business of downtime and data loss can be significant and you need to be back up in hours not days. You need to have backups that are minutes old, not days old.

DNA IT Solutions work with clients to assess their risks, look at their particular challenges and needs. We then design a strategy around disaster recovery that is the right fit. We test and re-test to ensure peace of mind for all. Ensuring your business can continue after an attack, be it natural or cyber.

DNA IT Solutions will help you to create an appropriate disaster recovery system and can also help you implement it if becomes necessary. Preparing a thorough recovery plan is an investment for the future health of your business.


DNA IT Solutions shortlisted for two categories at TechExcellence Awards 2026

DNA have ben shortlisted in the MSP and MSSP categories of the TechExcellence Awards

DNA IT Solutions has been shortlisted for Managed Security Services Provider of the Year and Managed Service Company of the Year at the TechExcellence Awards 2026. Hosted by TechCentral.ie, the awards ceremony takes place on 14th May at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dublin.

The nomination continues a strong run at the awards for the Blanchardstown-based company. DNA IT Solutions won Managed Security Services Provider of the Year in 2025 and 2024, and now returns as a shortlisted entrant in both categories simultaneously.

The TechExcellence Awards are widely regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the Irish technology industry, recognising outstanding performance across managed services, security, cloud, and emerging technology.

The double shortlisting reflects DNA IT Solutions’ continued focus on delivering integrated IT, cloud, and security services to mid-market Irish businesses — organisations that carry the data risk and regulatory obligations of larger enterprises but need a provider built to serve them at their scale.

Declan Hussey, CEO of DNA IT Solutions, said:

“Winning back-to-back at the TechExcellence Awards is something we’re proud of, but the number that matters most to me is 10 years — our average client retention. That figure is earned by a team that shows up, knows their clients’ businesses inside out, and never treats a support call as just a ticket. This shortlisting belongs to them.”

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 14th May. Further details at techawards.techcentral.ie.

Cloud Security

With the growing reliance on IT infrastructure a business needs to maintain high levels of security in order to protect itself from attack.

Welcome to this introduction to cyber security awareness brought to you by DNA IT Solutions. This guide is one of a series that we hope will be useful to give you an insight into what you can do to protect your business from attack. Sharing these useful tips with your team could help protect your business.

A robust Cyber Security Plan will provide protection against theft of information, damage to equipment and prevent disruption of business services.

With smart devices becoming more common and wireless networks being used regularly certain checks and systems should be put in place to help protect a business.

A comprehensive security solution for the organisation is needed, however, this needs to run hand in hand with a well-educated user. The human can be the biggest threat to a business when it comes to maintaining security of data and access to sensitive information

Passwords

Sometimes when it comes to security it’s the simplest things are forgotten about. Having secure passwords can prevent hackers from accessing data. A secure password should contain a mixture of letters, numbers, characters and remember stronger is longer. It’s important that the same password should not be used for multiple applications.

Username and password based security alone is not adequate in many cases so that is where multi factor authentication (MFA) can provide additional safeguards. That may include pin numbers, maths equations, security questions or even biometrics or voice recognition.

Key Points

  • Long passwords are more secure
  • Do not share passwords
  • Use a mix of characters, letters, numbers
  • A different password for each access point

Emails

Email is still the preferred method of communication within the business world yet it can leave a business exposed to all sorts of issues.

Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. If an email looks suspicious don’t engage with it and do not open attachments unless you were expecting them. If in doubt, phone the sender to check it before clicking and creating an issue.

Your email gateway is the best defence against email threats. Sophos offer anti-spam technologies to stop ransomware emails, while antivirus scans for and blocks email-borne threats. Blocking emails with macro attachments can help you avoid another common ransomware technique.

Key Points

  • Be cautious about attachments
  • If it looks wrong don’t click or engage
  • Don’t give personal information
  • Put suitable technology in place to protect

Mobile Protection

With remote and mobile working people are now using tablets and smartphones in the same way they used to use laptops. They are used in both personal life and now that has slipped across to work life also. It’s important to protect both the user and the device to prevent any security issues.

The first step would be to ensure anti-malware software is installed on all mobile devices and that passwords used are secure. There are many other features that can be employed such as lost device and wipe clear applications in the event of a misplaced device.

Key Points

  • More secure passwords
  • Ensure protection software is installed
  • Be mindful when using public wi-fi
  • Be extra careful to avoid loss of device

Protecting sensitive information

With the onset of GDPR is it more important than ever to ensure we have control over our data and who has access to it. Information in the wrong hands can cause untold damage to a business. Data that is stored within the organisation should have a backup in case of loss. To increase security only reputable sharing platforms should be used. Employees should not copy information to a public sharing platform that may not as secure.

Data can be encrypted to increase security so when it is moving between devices it is more secure.

Key Points

  • Use only secure sharing platforms
  • Encrypt sensitive information before sharing
  • Create a back up
  • Set authorisation access levels

Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. A ransomware attack can leave an organisation crippled with the loss of access to files and a demand for payment. Businesses both large and small are increasingly under threat and the disruption it can cause can be devastating.

The risk can be reduced by ensuring you have reputable antivirus software and a firewall. However, it is important that all updates are completed promptly. The effects may be minimised if you have good backups in place so you can access and restore information if required.

Key Points

  • Employ content scanning and filtering on your mail servers
  • Keep up-to-date with relevant patches
  • Be careful using public wireless Internet
  • Have good antivirus software and a firewall

We’ve Changed our Look to Reflect Growth Plans for 2026

Set of new DNA IT Logos

We’ve refined our visual identity to better reflect who we are and how we work. The changes create clearer distinctions between our services whilst maintaining a unified brand presence.

This wasn’t about a design refresh or following the latest design trends; it was about solving a problem that had become impossible to ignore.

DNA IT Solutions has grown significantly. Three distinct service areas, each with its own complexity, each serving different client needs. Our old branding couldn’t handle this structure. Everything looked the same, whether we were discussing cloud infrastructure or security operations.

The solution required more than a new logo. We needed a system.

How the new identity works

We now have two logo types. The main DNA IT Solutions logo represents the company as a whole; you’ll see it on our website, in general communications, on business cards. Service logos appear only in materials specific to that service. If you receive a Managed Security proposal, it carries the purple shield logo. A Cloud Services presentation uses the aqua cloud logo. Managed IT materials display the green network icon.

This distinction matters when you’re deep in technical documentation or comparing different service offerings. The visual cue tells you immediately which domain you’re in.

The colour system follows the same logic. Our primary palette gives us Deep Charcoal as the foundation, with Deep Green and Emerald Green providing our core brand colours. These appear across everything we do. Then each service has its own secondary colour: purple for Managed Security, green for Managed IT, aqua for Cloud Services.

Open a security assessment report and you’ll see purple accents throughout. That same purple appears in security-focused social media posts, event materials, technical guides. The consistency creates recognition; over time, you’ll associate purple with our security practice before you read any text.

Typography anchors the system. Degular Semibold handles all headings and subheadings, giving us a distinctive voice across every touchpoint. Poppins Light serves as our body typeface, chosen specifically for clarity in technical documentation. These

What you’ll notice

These changes will roll out gradually across all customer-facing materials over the next quarter. Proposals will arrive with the new service logos. Our website and socials reflect the updated colour system. Email signatures, technical documentation, quarterly business reviews; everything will shift to the new identity.

You’ll see the main DNA IT Solutions logo on general communications, the service logos on specialist materials. Colour coding will become familiar quickly. Within a month, you’ll instinctively recognise which service area a document relates to before you process the content.

The fundamentals haven’t changed. You get the same great technical expertise and support commitment. We’ve simply created a visual language that matches how we actually work and how you actually engage with us.

This identity was built to scale. As we expand capabilities and add services, the system accommodates growth without losing coherence. That’s the difference between a logo and an identity system; one is decoration, the other is infrastructure.

What are your thoughts on our new identity?

How to Reduce Cyber Insurance Premiums: Security Measures That Lower Your Costs

This week, our Sales Manager, Andrew Pearsall had a fascinating conversation with a client about the evolving landscape of cyber insurance and how it’s increased in scope and importance over the years.

Up until very recently, the questions on the cyber insurance proposal form were relatively basic. However, as more and more security threats emerge, the questionnaire and the information required by clients to provide, has become more onerous.

Premiums continue to rise.

The cyber insurance market in Ireland is growing rapidly and according to PwC’s 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights report, 41 per cent of Irish organisations are looking to update cyber insurance to mitigate risk and build resiliency.

However, an insurance policy alone will not provide adequate protection in an environment where cyber threats are flourishing.

Proper cyber resilience is based on actionable, practical plans, underpinned by people, processes and technology solutions that support business continuity in the event of a breach.

It’s a stark finding from PwC’s survey that just 28% of Irish organisations have implemented robust cyber resilience actions, well behind their global counterparts at 33%.

In addition to this, less than one in 10 (8%) of Irish organisations invest significantly more on proactive cybersecurity measures than reactive measures, lagging well behind their global counterparts at 24%.

This raises the question: why spend money on being reactive after an incident, when you can invest in your cyber security and be proactive? You get more protection, at a reduced cost.

Key Takeaways:

  • Cyber insurance is no longer just about coverage – it’s about your proactive security posture.
  • Insurers are increasingly rewarding organisations that demonstrate strong cybersecurity frameworks.
  • A well-structured security wrap with DNA’s layered defence and 24/7 SOC team incident response can significantly reduce your premiums.
  • The process of completing insurance forms is a valuable exercise in identifying gaps and strengthening internal policies.
  • Testing is not an option; it’s an absolute must! DR Testing, Pen Testing all need to be done to make sure there’s no gaps

Advice for IT and Business Leaders

If you’re reviewing your cyber insurance this quarter, don’t just tick the boxes. Let’s use it as an opportunity to audit your security stack, align with best practices, and negotiate better terms. The stronger your defences, the better your coverage and the lower your costs.

DNA IT Showcases Award-Winning Managed Security Services at Cyber Security Summit

Dublin, 2nd October 2025 – DNA IT Solutions is pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting and showcasing our award-winning Managed Security Services at the Business Post Cyber Security Summit 2025, taking place today at Croke Park, Dublin.

The summit brings together leaders from government, industry and cybersecurity to examine how organisations can respond to growing threats, tightening regulation and the rapid rise of AI.

With the introduction of major EU legislation such as NIS2, the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), the Cyber Resilience Act and the AI Act, the event will explore what these developments mean in practice, and how businesses can move beyond compliance to build lasting resilience.

What to expect at our stand

Our team will be on hand throughout the day to provide insights on building a rock-solid cyber security strategy:

  • Vulnerability and pen testing
  • Human risk management
  • Zero Trust
  • Managed Detection and Response
  • Threat Hunting and Dark Web Monitoring
  • Office365 Security Monitoring
  • Compliance Management

Why attend

The Business Post Cyber Security Summit provides a valuable opportunity to:

  • Hear from industry thought leaders and cybersecurity experts
  • Understand the practical implications of new EU regulations
  • Learn from sector-specific case studies
  • Network with peers facing similar challenges
  • Explore solutions that address real security gaps

As Ireland’s regulatory environment becomes more demanding and threat actors grow more sophisticated, organisations across all sectors need partners who understand both the technical and compliance landscapes.

Visit us at the Summit

If you’re attending the Business Post Cyber Security Summit, we’d welcome the opportunity to discuss your organisation’s security challenges and how DNA IT Solutions can support your compliance and resilience objectives.

If you can’t make the Summit today and would still welcome a conversation with one of our team please let us know here.

 

Enhancing IT Resilience: How DNA IT Solutions Transformed Flogas’ IT Infrastructure for Reliability and Efficiency

Flo Gas

Flogas Ireland, part of the DCC group, is a top energy provider offering LPG, Natural Gas, and Electricity across Ireland. They serve a wide range of industries, from homes and businesses to agriculture and automotive, all while focusing on delivering reliable energy solutions that meet their customers’ changing needs.

Flogas was among the organizations still leveraging the robust IBM iSeries technology, which has long been known for its reliability and scalability.

The IBM iSeries, originally known as the AS/400 and now part of the IBM Power Systems range, is a midrange mainframe technology designed for business applications. It combines robust hardware with the IBM i operating system to deliver a stable, scalable, and secure environment for a wide range of enterprise computing needs.

For over two decades Flogas has been using the IBM iSeries platform to run a critical financial application. The backups were saved to tape and securely sent to a local IBM tape storage facility for safekeeping. While tape backups have historically been a common method for the IBM iSeries (AS/400) due to their reliability and long-term storage capabilities, Flogas recognized the need to move to more modern disk-based backup solution.

Historically, tape backup was the only disaster recovery solution available for IBM iSeries systems, which posed challenges in terms of speed, reliability, and scalability. Recognizing these limitations, DNA IT Solutions leveraged the expertise of its in-house consultants and the strength of its IBM partner ecosystem to modernize Flogas’ disaster recovery strategy. By implementing a Cloud-based solution, DNA IT was able to provide a reliable, scalable, and efficient backup and disaster recovery process, ensuring operational continuity and addressing the constraints of the legacy system.

Recognizing the need for a more reliable and efficient solution, Debbie Monerawela, system administrator of the iSeries system in Flogas, proactively reached out to DNA IT Solutions after hearing about our expertise through a radio advertisement. This marked the beginning of a partnership aimed at modernizing Flogas’ IT infrastructure and ensuring the resilience and continuity of their operations.

Project Description

As already mentioned, many IT professionals were uncertain if solutions existed to provide Cloud backup for their legacy IBM iSeries server, running version 7.1 of the OS — an older, unsupported version of the OS.

As one of the leading IBM partners in Ireland, DNA IT Solutions stepped in with confidence and expertise, committing to explore and implement a tailored solution to meet Flogas’ needs. This partnership exemplifies DNA’s dedication to tackling complex IT challenges and delivering innovative results.

Collaborating with IBM, DNA IT Solutions developed and implemented a Cloud backup solution for Flogas, securely transferring their backups to the Cloud.

To ensure reliability, DNA’s team provides daily reports detailing the status of the backups, promptly addressing any issues that arise. Additionally, regular disaster recovery tests are conducted in partnership with Flogas to validate the integrity of the backups and confirm that the data performs as expected, providing peace of mind and operational continuity.

With the expertise of DNA IT Solutions and the support of our trusted IBM partner, a comprehensive backup solution was implemented using IBM’s robust Cloud ecosystem. This collaboration allowed us to securely backup Flogas’ data and create a virtual machine running a mirrored cope of their application, specifically designed for disaster recovery scenarios.

What sets this solution apart is the unique expertise of DNA’s IBM partner, who possessed the specialized knowledge required to work with such an outdated version of the IBM iSeries system. This capability ensured Flogas’ critical finance application was safeguarded and recoverable, providing unparalleled reliability and peace of mind.

Outcome

Through collaboration with our IBM partner, DNA IT Solutions successfully implemented a modern Cloud backup solution for Flogas, addressing the challenges of Floga’s legacy IBM iSeries system. The solution has provided Flogas with reliable daily backups, comprehensive reporting, and confidence in having a fully tested Cloud based DR solution.

Adrian Kelly, Sales and Marketing Director of DNA IT Solutions said “Legacy systems like the IBM iSeries were never originally designed for the Cloud, making it challenging to modernize backup and disaster recovery capabilities. However, thanks to the strength of our team of expert consultants and our trusted IBM partner ecosystem, we were able to deliver a robust, forward-looking solution for Flogas. This project highlights our ability to bridge the gap between traditional systems and modern IT demands, ensuring resilience and efficiency for our clients.”

Debbie Monerawela, system administrator of the iSeries system in Flogas said: “Modernizing our critical finance application was a key part of our digital transformation strategy, and DNA IT helped us bring it up to modern standards. The entire experience was seamless, with the project delivered on time and within budget. Thanks to their expertise, we’ve significantly lowered our business risk and now have complete peace of mind knowing our production system is fully supported in the Cloud with a modern backup and DR solution. It’s been a pleasure working with DNA IT Solutions.”

DNA IT Solutions Shortlisted for 4 Categories at the 2025 Tech Excellence Awards!

Tech Excellent Awards 2025

Big news!

We’re proud to announce that DNA IT Solutions has been shortlisted in not one, but four categories at the 2025 Tech Excellence Awards!

  • IT Project of the Year
  • MSP of the Year
  • MSSP of the Year
  • Marketing Excellence Award

In a fast-changing technology landscape, it’s incredibly rewarding to see our team’s hard work and dedication acknowledged at such a high level.
A huge thank you to our team, our clients, and our partners for being part of the DNA journey — we couldn’t have achieved this without you.

Looking forward to awards night!

Why Smart Tech Acceleration is Essential for Long-Term Business Success

In an effort to adapt to rapid technology advancements and evolving business landscapes, many companies have invested in solutions that may no longer align with their long-term goals. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, and businesses must move beyond short-term fixes to adopt smart tech acceleration—a strategy that ensures technology investments align with long-term business growth, security, and efficiency.

Why Staying Current with Technology Matters

  • Seamless Integration – Bringing all the right tools together boosts efficiency and reduces time wasted on disconnected systems.
  • Increased Productivity – A well-integrated IT environment enhances employee experience and streamlines operations.
  • Stronger Security – Removing outdated and unsupported technologies protects against cyber threats and compliance risks.

However, tech acceleration must be strategic—it’s not just about speed but about ensuring new technologies support business continuity, security, and growth.

What is Smart Tech Acceleration?

Many businesses made rapid tech decisions during the shift to remote work, adopting tools to ensure operational continuity. While these solutions may have worked short-term, they might not integrate well with existing infrastructure or align with current business needs.

It’s time to focus on a smarter approach to IT acceleration—one that:

  • Aligns technology with long-term business goals
  • Future-proofs IT investments with scalable solutions
  • Ensures seamless integration and operational efficiency

A growing number of organizations understand the importance of smart infrastructure, with investment in integrated IT solutions projected to increase by 40%. Companies that fail to modernize risk losing out to more tech-savvy competitors.

How Smart Tech Acceleration Supports Business Growth

  • Strategic Vendor Partnerships – Choosing IT providers that align with your business values and innovation roadmap prevents long-term challenges and ensures smooth transitions.
  • Seamless IT Integration – A well-connected IT environment reduces operational expenses, improves response times, and boosts productivity by ensuring all solutions work together efficiently.
  • Data-Driven Decision Making – Rather than adopting quick fixes, smart tech acceleration focuses on KPI improvements and long-term success metrics, ensuring real ROI on IT investments.

Without the right tech strategy, businesses risk falling behind. Investing in future-ready technology solutions is critical to achieving sustainable growth, security, and operational excellence.

Partner with DNA IT Solutions for Smart Tech Acceleration

Navigating IT modernization alone can be challenging, but with DNA IT Solutions as your trusted Managed Services Provider (MSP), you’ll have a security-first, strategic partner to guide your business toward success.

Find Out What’s Happening with Cyber Crime!

This exclusive event will showcase the latest developments in the world of cyber crime. Come to this threat intelligence education session and you will learn what the latest trends are, what the cyber criminals are now using to target businesses and who is most at risk.

Cyberattacks are growing more sophisticated and frequent, making proactive defense essential for businesses. This event will provide key insights into Threat Intelligence, helping organizations detect, analyze, and respond to cyber risks while ensuring compliance with security frameworks like NIS2.

AI is both a powerful tool and a growing risk in cybersecurity. Cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting trusted cloud services like Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive to distribute malware and execute attacks. While dark web activity around SaaS platforms declined in 2024, Microsoft TeamViewer saw a 9% increase, highlighting the rising threat of SaaS-targeted cybercrime.

With generative AI and quantum threats on the horizon, securing your data, access controls, and AI-driven processes is more critical than ever. Join us for this essential session and take action to protect your business before it’s too late!

What You’ll Learn:

🔹 How Threat Intelligence can enhance your cybersecurity strategy
🔹 The latest threat trends and attack tactics used by cybercriminals globally, in Europe and by industry sector.
🔹 How to proactively defend against security breaches
🔹 The role of NIS2 compliance in securing your business

Event Agenda:

☕ 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Welcome Tea Break & Networking
Enjoy tea, coffee, and pastries while connecting with industry professionals.

🎤 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM |

9:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Keynote: The Rising Threat of Cybercrime – Are You Prepared?

Cybercriminals are evolving faster than ever, using sophisticated tactics to breach businesses of all sizes. This session will uncover the latest cybercrime trends, real-world attack strategies, and how Threat Intelligence can help you stay ahead of emerging threats before they strike.

Don’t wait until it’s too late—equip your business with the knowledge to defend against modern cyber threats.

☕ 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM | Tea Break
Recharge with refreshments and cookies.

🛡️ 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM | NIS2 Compliance & Cybersecurity Best Practices
Discover how to align your security posture with NIS2 regulations and reduce your business’s exposure to cyber risks.

🔚 12:00 PM | Event Conclusion & Final Networking Opportunity

Who Should Attend?

This event is perfect for IT decision-makers, security professionals, and business leaders looking to strengthen their cybersecurity strategy and stay compliant with evolving regulations.

🚀 Join us for an insightful session and take your cybersecurity to the next level!