Better business continuity requires commitment and planning

Business continuity is more complicated and involved than just making sure your servers are backed up on a regular basis.

It involves detailed policies and procedures, numerous supporting technologies and a commitment to redundancy and security. Along with all of that, it requires an actual plan.

Business continuity can be a big investment in time, personnel, raw materials and above all, budget dollars. So it’s imperative to create a plan that helps you get the most out of your investment — and it should be one that clearly spells out the business case for continuity.

Too many companies do not take business continuity seriously enough. It’s not that they think they’re invulnerable to disaster, but it’s just not a high priority. These companies leave projects half-finished or just do one piece here and there.

Business continuity plans must be high on the priority list — and appropriately funded — even if you’re busy and in constant break/fix mode. An under-funded plan can have serious consequences. All too often, organizations that cut corners on IT infrastructure or lack the right business policies create substantial risks. A continuity plan should also grow and adjust to any changes in your business.

Remember, a well-documented business continuity plan can actually make your company more attractive to a client if you can impress that customer with your quality controls, business continuity plans and security.

Here’s a checklist of steps that can help an organization effectively manage business data continuity issues.

Inventory hardware and software resources: The first step in devising an effective strategy is to understand the organization’s business needs and the systems that map to those needs. Key hardware, configurations and passwords should be included in inventory.

Establish recovery objectives: Understanding recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO) is the foundation on which an effective business continuity solution is built. A few years ago, an organization might have established a two- or three-day window for getting systems back online. Today, the timeframe is usually a few hours. When an organization establishes clear RTO and RPO, it’s possible to match hardware and software with business processes and data recovery needs.

Budget adequately: Under-funded initiatives aren’t likely to provide the level of protection that’s desired or required. A business must quantify risks and understand the costs of redundant systems, backup power, redundant Web connections, spare servers and offsite storage.

Develop a response plan: When an incident occurs, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of how to handle the situation and manage work with minimal disruption. An effective plan spells out tasks, responsibilities and roles — and it covers an array of situations that could demand entirely different responses. It’s not enough to ensure that machines are turned on and operating; an organization must establish how employees will access systems and data during an outage or emergency.

Designate a recovery team: The unpredictability of a disaster requires an organization to establish a team to lead employees through the recovery process. Armed with phone trees, mobile technology and a clear response plan, these people can make quick decisions and change course on the fly.

Revisit business continuity often: Because business conditions, processes and technology constantly change, it’s vital to re-examine business continuity and update a plan on a regular basis. An organization must also test systems periodically — every quarter or at least once a year — to ensure that nothing was overlooked and that the plan works.

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