Government organizations should develop continuity of operations (COOP) and continuity of government (COG) plans as part of a comprehensive emergency management program using a comprehensive planning process based on federal guidance and best practices in emergency management and continuity planning. This article addresses some of the key issues involved in implementing COOP and COG programs.… Continue reading Developing Continuity In Government Planning

How far is enough? That was the question asked of Association of Contingency Planners (ACP) chapters in the United States. The intent of the survey question was to set standards from within the industry regarding how far an alternate facility and an off-site storage facility should be from the primary operations site. This article is… Continue reading How Far Is Far Enough

The Whittier earthquake struck as I was coming down an off-ramp on my way to work in Pasadena, Calif. I first thought I had four flat tires. Then, as I looked around me, I began to realize that one of the disaster scenarios we had imagined was beginning to occur. As an operations division manager… Continue reading Why Some Recovery Plans Won’t Work

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) sounded a wakeup call throughout the healthcare industry – patient data is an asset and it needs to be protected. IT departments are now facing the challenge of implementing HIPAA’s three provisions – electronic data exchange of transactions (EDI), privacy, and security. The HIPAA rules… Continue reading Not Just For HIPAA

Cost-effective recovery strategies and written agreements related to the most feasible alternatives are important aspects of business continuity planning. Numerous unpredictable and often unpreventable hazards can endanger the organization. Because of these threats, recovery alternatives for human resources, facilities, critical systems, data and voice communications, and business processes should be evaluated. The recovery strategies should… Continue reading Comparing & Selecting Recovery Strategies

The combination of political turmoil, a down economy and technology developments are providing new and challenging legal issues for manager negotiating outsourcing agreements. Hostility in the Middle East as well as the on-going threat of terrorism has increased focus on security at a time when faltering financial markets are causing more companies to outsource technology… Continue reading Global Outsourcing During Tumultuous Times

Recently there has been some discussion about business continuity plan security. As with most things, there are at least two opposing views, and each can make a valid case – one for an open document and one for a classified document. And, as with most things, there is a middle ground that may satisfy almost… Continue reading Security vs. Need-to-Know

Data loss is an expensive reality. It’s a hard fact that it happens more often than users like to admit. A study by the accounting firm McGladrey and Pullen estimates that one out of every 500 data centers will experience a severe computer disaster this year. As a result, almost half of those companies will… Continue reading The Human Side of Data Loss

During the past year, in response to heightened concerns about security in general, many banks have put disaster recovery planning at the forefront of their agendas. Those that have not already done so can expect increased scrutiny from state and federal regulators. But planning should be more comprehensive than merely dusting off old plans that… Continue reading Regulatory Scrutiny of Item Processing

Business owners in St. Louis, Mo., can now benefit from a business emergency access plan approved for the city. The plan allows individuals, who complete a credentials program, early access to their facilities following a disaster or business interruption. The credentialing procedure was approved by Col. Joseph Moekwa, chief of police, for the St. Louis… Continue reading City Implements Emergency Access Plan