Disaster Recovery 100 Success Secrets - IT Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery planning and Services. Gerard Blokdijk
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continuity plan or disaster recovery plan. Such systems have their own boundaries or limitations as well, no matter how advanced or complex they are. There will come a time when certain risks will be presented. Therefore constant maintenance and cautious analysis are needed to support such systems.
Here are certain precautionary measures that will help ease the pain of losing vital information for larger and more critical computer systems. First is to develop a well written business continuity plan (BCP) or disaster recovery plan (DRP). These processes are essential in making sure that it will be Nbusiness as usualO amidst of encountering a disruptive event.
Second is to properly delegate a team of individuals with specific duties and responsibilities, with an accompanying backup plan to support others in carrying out specific tasks. Highly trainable individuals with a vast understanding on how computer
system works are definitely an advantage. And lastly, determine the software systems and hardware devices that are susceptible to replacements when disaster strikes. A backup location for database use should also be identified to ensure business continuity.
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The Benefits Of Having A Business
Continuity And Disaster Recovery
Plan
It is important for businesses today to think ahead and plan for the unexpected. Especially these days where security threats and natural disasters are likely to happen, businesses should prepare and plan for a definite emergency measure.
Building a business continuity and disaster recovery plan are two of the most essential preparations of a company in cases of disaster. These two aspects of emergency planning works hand in hand to help the company mitigate the effects of the disaster.
However, these strategic planning cannot 100 % guarantee that there will be no loss in assets and investments. Of course, when disaster hits particularly natural calamities, there will be damages and costs incurred. That is why business continuity and disaster recovery plan are developed to lessen the impact of disasters and prevent further damage.
In IT, maintaining its networking functions and system application are very important. Business continuity creates a way to sustain its normal operations in event of disasters. By creating an accurate plan to mitigate impact, business continuity develops guidelines and procedures to follow when applications fail or network systems are down. There are back up software and solutions to easily restore the normal functions of people and equipments.
Disaster recovery plans on the other hand also helps recover all the lost data and information. This also includes data, investments and other lost physical assets that may disrupt the opera
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tions of the business. These two aspects play an important role in keeping the company from further destruction and damage.
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Disaster Recovery Plan for Floods D
Protecting Computer Databases When
Calamity Strikes
Disaster strikes when you least expect it. Suddenly, you will just feel the earth shaking, the fire alarm ringing and heavy rains hitting the ground. When such emergency situations happen, you just canOt help but panic and feel worried of what is going to happen.
Safety of the individuals should be a major priority, and so are the essential information stored on computer databases. Yes, equipment and devices can be replaced, but not critical records and files that once gone will also mean waving good bye to your own business.
One of the major threats to the facilities and infrastructures established to perform business operations is flooding. A wellorganized disaster recovery plan is therefore needed as your first line of defense against this threat. Though there may be times that equipment malfunction due to flooding can still be used and functional when dried, still the hassle of getting through this whole process is indeed a waste of time and resources.
Flooding, like any other natural calamity is not something that we can stop from happening. Nature takes its own course and the best thing to do is just accept this fact and invest time on how to carefully plan on what to do whenever such disruptive events happen. Though a very important precautionary measure that should be looked on to is data back up. Backing up files, such as storing them on another location, will definitely ensure business continuity amidst of all these hindrances. It is a good thing to note though that when flooding happens, there is one thing that everyone should be reminded of: plant trees. The result would be a cleaner air to breathe. Well, not a bad idea after all.
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The Five Main Phases of a BCP Manual
for Computer Disaster Recovery
Performing computer disaster recovery may seem to have
been involved with a lot of different processes to guarantee business continuity. Actually, there are only five things to think about in creating a business continuity plan (BCP) manual that will definitely aid in making it easy for many to do disaster recovery, especially those involved in complex computer systems. The BCP
manual can function as your guide in ensuring business longevity.
The five main phases involved in BCP manual development are (((((Obecad)n)))) i masttmehonasleaputi lnialytnentismogeainn slae,ya nd nstdeicass et oipi.gr ohgnnaa,, s n eisz aintivoonl vaecsc ethprteaen csue ba-npdr o cesses. First is impact analysis, where critical and non-critical functions within the organization are differentiated. Critical functions are more susceptible to threats so the need to distinguish functions is needed to meet certain requirements. Threat analysis, on the other hand, involves the identification of threats and their impact to the business.
Lastly, impact scenarios should then be defined for proper documentation.
After impact analysis, there comes solution design to recognize the most cost effective disaster recovery solution from the given scenarios. The third phase, which is implementation, takes place to execute the identified solution design elements. Testing will then be made to obtain organizational acceptance. The design element should meet certain requirements as specified by the organization. Changes have to be made after testing should the need arises. The last phase of the BCP manual is maintenance. It involves the following activities:
(a) confirm the information written in the manual and roll out to all staff and personnel to increase the level of awareness; ((cb)) tteesstt aanndd vveerriiffyy tshoelu dtoiocnusm; aenndte d recovery procedures.
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How to Pursue Outsourcing of Computer
Disaster Plan Recovery
One way you know when to outsource and when not to is to ask yourself how much of your IT computers are covered by outsourcing at this point. If your organization prefers to focus on maintaining inhouse IT personnel and IT maintenance services, then outsourcing would be very difficult to pursue. For one thing, your own organizational culture may make people suspicious about letting outsiders know how your organizational IT systems operate D because in this age when competition is fierce, trade secrets become even more valuable commodities. Allowing outsiders to glimpse your IT system structure may mean permitting people to see any potential weak points. As in any business arrangement, trust and integrity are the watchwords by which you
should judge any potential outsourcing partner.
Some client companies may opt for the least expensive of the Computer Disaster Plan Recovery specialists they find automatically, because they intend to protect their profits. However, such a move may backfire because lower initial cost may not translate into better service for you. Since IT systems are very expensive to invest in, it only makes sense to get the best service you can to protect your investment (which is what Computer Disaster Plan Recovery is all about in the first place.) So you need to examine why your profits should be prioritized over quality