Tragic events are a part of life. While we can't predict them, we can prepare for them. Here are some tips on how to write a disaster recovery plan that will keep your organization operating during and after such events.
- Begin identifying the essential functions performed by your organization. Then, determine possible risks that would inhibit those functions.
- Repeat the above process for key systems. Consider risks such as data loss, system failure, and so on. What impact will the failure or loss of such systems have on your business?
- Assign or identify key people for handling recovery tasks and keep them involved in the process of drafting the recovery plan. They may offer valuable feedback about the details they'll need to handle a crisis.
- Involve representatives from all departments when identifying risks. Each department will have different requirements for ensuring business continuity, and managers from inside each department will be better equipped to identify those needs.
- Exercise your political skills. To write a thorough disaster recovery plan, you'll need to coordinate with people across many departments. Your ability to grease the wheels and extract information will be essential.
- Document the location and purpose of any supporting documents for essential systems. For example, you don't want to waste time hunting for user manuals when your telephone system fails.
- Revise your disaster plan based on actual testing. A live test of the plan will reveal any flaws, so that you can make improvements based on real data.
- Establish a time frame for reviewing and updating your plan, and build such maintenance into your regular workflow. That way you can compensate for any changes in your essential business functions, environmental changes, regulations, and so on.
When you begin writing your plan, start with a thorough template. A template will help you create a robust and useful plan, and minimize the time you devote to tasks such as formatting and document organization. You can get a disaster recovery plan template here.
These tips will give you some guidance on how to write a disaster recovery plan that will keep your organization operating after a crisis.
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