First of all, what is a Disaster Recovery Plan or what is also called a Business Continuity Plan?
So ultimately it is the way a business regains access and functionality and responds effectively to and after events like natural disasters, cyber-attacks, or even business disruptions suche as we have experienced recently related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A disaster recovery plan (DRP) or Business Continuity Plan (BCP) provides a checklist that includes identifying critical IT systems and networks and outlining the steps needed to restart, reconfigure and recover systems and networks. The plan should at least minimize any negative effects on business operations and inform everyone involved about their responsibilities, processes and procedures to follow.
I updated my DCP/BRP for my own business and it was interesting that I still found new information to add and update. It isn’t something that can just be “whipped” up in a few hours as it does take some thinking about and perhaps the best way to approach it is
- to draft out a plan and add to sections over a few weeks with key objectives for each section.
- make a list of key people you would need to contact in an emergency and include staff, clients, suppliers, family members, and colleagues ( perhaps set up a calling tree )
- think about access to buildings and software and finances. When you start the list it is amazing just how many people need to be informed.
- list your key business processes and backup strategies for each.
- what are the risks of potential disasters that might affect you and your business, rating them, and listing remedial actions?
- what are your emergency responses and who is in the team to instigate the alert plans?
- which family members will need to know what, when, and how?
- Insurance/financial/legal details.
- test and record the plan.
- returning to full service, how and when and who?
- make a separate list of all contacts as in an emergency this will make life so much easier for everyone. e.g. critical contacts for the business, other owners and directors, clients, suppliers family members, password accesses, hardware, and software information and support providers, other third party providers with full access instructions, finance and accountants, website developers, applications, memberships & subscriptions, Wills, and Lasting Power of Attorneys.
- I also added in some”what if” scenarios re losing data, synching and backups, etc.
It is vital to remember that the DRP/BCP is a work in progress and needs to be updated when ANYTHING changes in your business and at minimum reviewed annually with all your other policies and procedures.
If you need any help putting a DRP/BCP together then I am happy to help you, so do contact me alex@auxiliumconsulting.co.uk or Book a 30mins FREE Call TODAY.
