| Ensuring that a company could continue | | | | The "Guide to Business Continuity Planning," set |
| day-to-day operations in the face of a large-scale | | | | out by Public Safety Canada (a branch of the |
| disruption to its information technology (IT) | | | | Canada's federal government) and available on its |
| infrastructure is a critical yet often overlooked or | | | | website at notes that a company's plans for what |
| underemphasized component of a company's | | | | it would do in the face of a potential 'disaster' |
| business plan in what is an increasingly risk-prone, | | | | should include "risk evaluation, management and |
| technology-dependent global business environment. | | | | control and effective plans, measures and |
| Procuring and testing the computer rentals, server | | | | arrangements for business continuity." The PSC |
| rentals and critical systems that would be | | | | identifes two critical areas that need to be |
| necessary to ensure business continuity for a | | | | addressed: |
| company that (unlike many of the largest and | | | | "* Plans, measures and arrangements to ensure |
| most technology dependent companies) does not | | | | the continuous delivery of critical services and |
| have a dedicated alternate disaster recovery site | | | | products, which permits the organization to |
| in place is perhaps one of the easiest and most | | | | recover its facility, data and assets. |
| efficient ways for a company to kickstart a | | | | * Identification of necessary resources to support |
| business continuity initiative. | | | | business continuity, including personnel, information, |
| "Business continuity" the buzzword in the disaster | | | | equipment, financial allocations, legal counsel, |
| recovery field has been a focus of concern for | | | | infrastructure protection and accommodations." |
| both industry and government in the unsettling | | | | Equipment providers that specialize in business |
| wake of events in this post-9/11 world. Public | | | | computer rentals can provide the technical |
| Safety Canada distinguishes between a "business | | | | expertise and computer rentals, server rentals |
| resumption plan", a "disaster recovery plan" and a | | | | and peripherals etc. to "dry run" a company's |
| "business continuity plan". A "business resumption | | | | response to a 'disaster' that shuts down normal |
| plan" focuses on how a business will resume | | | | operations. |
| normal operations after a disruption caused by | | | | Of course, the level of preparedness and |
| natural or man-made causes. A "disaster recovery | | | | tolerance for disruptions to operations will vary |
| plan" focuses on how a company will recover its | | | | from business to business. A company in the data |
| IT assets after a disastrous interruption, while a | | | | processing industry, for example, will likely already |
| "business continuity plan" emphasizes how a | | | | have operative business continuity and data |
| company can enable critical services or products | | | | recovery plans, procedures, equipment and |
| to be continually delivered to clients in the face of | | | | facilities in place and running. A company that is |
| a disastrous disruption of its normal functions. | | | | not as IT dependent and has some built-in |
| Instead of focusing on resuming operations after | | | | tolerance for short-term disruptions (say 24 to 72 |
| critical operations have ceased, or recovering | | | | hours) may not. |
| after a disaster, a business continuity plan | | | | For such companies, when taking out the |
| endeavors to ensure that critical operations | | | | "insurance" of preparing business continuity |
| continue to be available. | | | | resumption and disaster recovery planning, a |
| What level of planning a company requires - | | | | relatively inexpensive exercise in setting up a |
| business resumption versus disaster recovery | | | | working alternate site with the computer rentals |
| versus business recovery - will depend, of course, | | | | and server rentals that would be required in the |
| on the size of a company and the product and | | | | wake of a sudden and serious IT disruption could |
| services it provides clients and customers. Most | | | | be the most effective "insurance premium" it |
| likely all companies will require elements of all | | | | ever pays in terms of the overall costs and |
| three as part of overall business planning. Like | | | | benefits to its short and long-term business |
| having an insurance policy, no business wants to | | | | prospects. Conducting a "dry run" will allow a |
| have to rely on the provisions of its disaster | | | | company the opportunity to develop its plan for |
| recovery planning but having disaster recovery | | | | the unexpected and highlight the 'glitches' that will |
| planning remains prudent and necessary for | | | | inevitably arise the first time an alternative |
| long-term business survival. | | | | short-term IT structure is set up. |