Glossary · Security
RTO and RPO
Recovery time objective (RTO) is the maximum acceptable time to restore a service after disruption.
Recovery time objective (RTO) is the maximum acceptable time to restore a service after disruption. Recovery point objective (RPO) is the maximum acceptable amount of data loss, measured in time. Both should be proven by exercises, not just stated in policy.
Why it matters at a CIO Cafe table
Terms like RTO and RPO turn up at tables because the disagreement is usually about scope, not definition. Agreeing what the word means is the cheapest way to shorten a decision — which is why every table starts by framing the question in plain language.