RPO/RTO Calculator
Enter downtime cost, data change frequency, and dependency level to get a calculated protection tier, RPO/RTO range, and estimated downtime exposure. Calculated in your browser, no account required.
RPO/RTO Calculator
Everything below is calculated instantly in your browser as you adjust the inputs — nothing is submitted or stored.
IT KORR
RPO/RTO Planning Calculator
Calculated entirely in your browser — no data submitted.
Include lost revenue, idle labor, and SLA penalties — a rough estimate is fine.
Recommended Protection Tier
Important
Suggested RTO: 4–24 hours · Suggested RPO: 1 hr–4 hr
Estimated Downtime Exposure
$28,000
= downtime cost/hour × 14 hour RTO
Estimated Data-Loss Window at Suggested RPO
2.5 hr
Data created/changed in this window could be lost in a failure.
This tier and range are a planning heuristic based on downtime cost, data change frequency, dependency level, and regulatory sensitivity — there is no single universal industry formula for RPO/RTO. Final recovery objectives require validation by the business owner of this system and should be tested against your actual backup and failover capability.
What The Inputs Mean
Run This Separately Per System
Run this calculator separately for each system or data set — a customer database and a marketing file share rarely carry the same operational impact.
Downtime Cost Per Hour
The primary driver of your protection tier — higher hourly cost pushes toward a tighter (lower) RTO and RPO range.
Change Frequency & Dependencies
How often this system's data changes and how many other systems depend on it — both raise or lower the calculated tier score.
Regulatory Sensitivity
Whether this system handles data subject to specific regulatory requirements, which pushes toward a stricter tier.
Understanding Your Results
A Calculated Tier, Plus a Real Downtime-Exposure Number
Protection tier is a documented heuristic
The tier and RPO/RTO range are computed deterministically from your inputs — there is no single universal industry formula for RPO/RTO, so treat this as a starting target to validate with the business owner of this system.
Downtime exposure is a real calculation
Downtime cost/hour × your chosen RTO in hours — an understandable, adjustable number you can use to make the case for a faster (or more affordable) recovery target.
FAQ
Common Questions
What is the difference between RPO and RTO?
Recovery Point Objective (RPO) is the maximum amount of data you can afford to lose, measured in time — it determines how frequently you need to back up. Recovery Time Objective (RTO) is the maximum amount of downtime you can tolerate — it determines how fast your failover infrastructure and procedures need to restore service.
Should every system have the same RPO/RTO targets?
No. Different systems carry different business, revenue, and compliance impact if disrupted, so targets should be set per system or per data criticality tier. This calculator is intended to be run separately for each critical system to reflect its actual tolerance for data loss and downtime.
Does this calculate an exact RPO/RTO number for me?
It calculates a recommended protection tier and RPO/RTO range from your downtime cost, data change frequency, dependency level, and regulatory sensitivity, plus a real downtime-exposure figure (downtime cost/hour × your chosen RTO) once you adjust the RTO slider. There is no single universal industry formula for RPO/RTO, so the tier and range are a documented planning heuristic, not a certified calculation — the final target for a specific system is still a business-impact decision best made with stakeholders who understand that system's revenue and compliance exposure.
Is anything I enter here saved or transmitted?
No. Every input is processed entirely in your browser to generate the results shown on this page. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Related Guidance
The full guide behind this tool.
Check whether your current backups can meet the RPO this calculator recommends.
Turn the RPO calculated here into a per-workload backup retention schedule.
Get hands-on help closing the gap between your targets and current capability.
Operational Support
Need help meeting your RPO/RTO targets?
IT KORR can help you build the backup frequency and failover infrastructure your recovery targets actually require.
No commitment required — we respond within one business day.