| Picture the scene, its Monday morning and you've | | | | machinery etc. Detail some mitigation in your |
| traversed the morning rush hour and arrived at | | | | recovery plan. For example if you don't have |
| the office only to find a disaster zone. Over the | | | | access to your office in the event of a disaster is |
| weekend the office has experienced a fire that | | | | there other business premises/temporary |
| has all but destroyed the premises. IT, key | | | | accommodation that you can use? If so list |
| documents, plant and machinery - gone - what | | | | appropriate telephone numbers as part of the |
| are you going to do? | | | | plan. |
| Ok so this may be an extreme example but it | | | | 3. Recovery team |
| happens. Disasters and accidents happen every | | | | Put together a recovery team with clear lines of |
| day and affect many businesses some of which | | | | authorization who are responsible for co-ordinating |
| fail to recover - don't put yourself in this situation. | | | | activity in case of disaster. They should be |
| For many businesses and their managers disaster | | | | responsible for maintaining your disaster recovery |
| recovery planning never cross their minds, | | | | plan and meet on a regular basis to ensure that |
| businesses carry out their usual day to day | | | | the plan is still relevant and accurate. |
| activity unaware of what could happen if disaster | | | | 4. Backup your IT systems |
| struck, but there are some fundamentals that | | | | Ensure that you backup your IT systems at |
| you should consider. The first of which is a | | | | suitably regular intervals (and test the recovery |
| disaster recover plan. | | | | process!!!) Make sure that any backup tapes/CD's |
| The disaster recovery plan should describe how | | | | are stored off site or in a fire proof safe. Make |
| your business will cope in the case of an | | | | sure the recovery process is documented in your |
| emergency, what actions will be undertaken and | | | | Disaster recovery plan. |
| who will co-ordinate them. But what things should | | | | 5. Inventory your key equipment |
| go into a plan? In our checklist below we describe | | | | Keep an inventory of crucial capital equipment and |
| some of the things to consider. | | | | machinery so that it's easily identified and |
| Disaster Recovery Checklist. | | | | replaceable if needs arise. Keep a record of |
| 1. Analyze your business | | | | suitable suppliers and contact numbers so that |
| What systems can be down for what period of | | | | you can use them in an emergency. |
| time before serious consequences occur. For | | | | 6. Identify any external risks |
| example if your ERP system goes down and you | | | | For example if a business partner (perhaps a key |
| can't process sales what's the impact? With a | | | | supplier?) suffers a disaster what is the impact on |
| subjective view you'll probably find that you can | | | | your business and how would you mitigate it? |
| manage without some systems for a while | | | | 7. Don't forget the paper |
| (perhaps upto a week) with other's you'll need | | | | Too many businesses focus their disaster |
| them back up again as soon as possible. Develop | | | | recovery plans purely on IT - don't forget the |
| some computer failure procedures to manage | | | | impact a loss of paper records may have. How |
| your key business activity when IT is unavailable - | | | | would you manage if all your paper documents |
| make sure that copies of these processes are | | | | are destroyed. |
| included in the plan. | | | | Above all else think about it! - Accidents and |
| 2. Identify possible risks | | | | emergencies do happen but providing you plan for |
| Examples of risks to your business include the | | | | it and have suitable back up plans and |
| loss of IT systems, loss of buildings or plant | | | | arrangements you're business need not suffer. |