Mitigation. Preparedness. Response. Recovery. These four tenants of comprehensive emergency management are now repeated so frequently in the fields of disaster recovery and business continuity that they practically form a sacred mantra. Unfortunately, simple repetition of this mantra is unlikely to invoke some mystical potential for organizational readiness. Mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery will fall… Continue reading Securing Disaster Recovery Objectives with Effective Communications

BIG, it’s always BIG! Every contingency planning book you read assumes that your company is BIG. Let’s see now’.you should have a team conducting a Risk Analysis (RA), followed by a team conducting a Business Impact Analysis (BIA), followed by a team conducting a Recovery Option Analysis (ROA), followed by a… Well!! You get the… Continue reading Business Continuity Planning for the Rest of Us

Abstract The process of identifying threats and the risks they pose within your organization is a cost-effective way to eliminate the risk, or reduce its impact and frequency. For these reasons, the importance of performing this type of critical analysis cannot be overstated. In fact, the application of this activity should be elevated so that… Continue reading Implementing an Enterprise-Wide Security Program

Many businesses believe that they are in little or no danger of losing their data stored in their computer system. The all too common attitude is that it is a waste of money to invest in a contingency plan because it may never be used. In addition, some companies believe that a contingency plan would, in… Continue reading Contingency Planning… A Cost Versus Benefit Analysis

Risk Analysis–the foundation for a good Disaster Recovery plan! It is also a phase that means different things to different people. For some, it means an analysis of the hazards or exposures that a computer room is subject to and the impact of such hazards on the company. Others break it down into two separate… Continue reading Risk Analysis – An Overview

What would be the impact to your business in the event of a disaster affecting computer processing capabilities? Considering today’s telecommunication requirements, how long could it realistically take to recover? Days? Weeks? or even longer? Possibly some critical activities could be done manually, but for how long? Would your production be impacted? Could you get… Continue reading Impact: How Great Would It Be?

This article describes methodology and techniques for performing a comprehensive business impact analysis (BIA). This version of a BIA provides the foundation for the entire business continuity planning effort. Based on the various considerations addressed during the BIA, the process itself and related methodology can be equally as beneficial as the final written business continuity… Continue reading Some Techniques for Business Impact Analysis

Is your VCR programmed properly? Not sure? Maybe you couldn’t understand the directions in the manual. VCR programming directions, camera manuals, tricycle assembly sheets — all are standing jokes in the technical writing community. One can reread these directions endlessly as you: 1. Stare into space and wait for inspiration, or; 2. Try holding your… Continue reading Creating Usable Disaster Recovery Documentation

Developing a Contingency/Disaster Recovery Plan requires developing questionnaires and conducting interviews with virtually all departments in the organization to gather information. The result of this effort is stacks and stacks of information. One of the main questions faced by the Contingency Planner is how to sort through all this information to ensure that everything has… Continue reading Organizing a Contingency Plan For Success

I. PREPAREDNESS IN THE 90s reparedness is the hot topic in the 90s. Nationwide, there is a growing interest in both public policy and the private sector to put into effect the tools needed to assure readiness when disaster strikes. Public policies are being written to mandate a working plan be in place at all… Continue reading How Do You Get Ready For a Disaster? Selecting A Restoration Company