Disasters like bushfires and pandemics, as we have seen most recently, cause significant downtime for businesses to add to the compelling human toll. There are events, both local and global, we cannot predict. When something unpredictable happens, it highlights the necessity of a plan to manage a worst-case scenario. This is why businesses need to create a disaster recovery plan. The plan helps your business and employees reduce the consequences of a disaster and resume operations as soon as possible.
Create a Disaster Recovery Team
In the event of a disaster, you need a team that will develop, implement, and maintain the DRP. The plan should define each person, their responsibilities, and contact information. In addition, the plan should highlight people to contact in case a disaster or emergency happens. Every employee should know the details of the DRP and their roles in case a disaster happens.
Identify and Assess Disaster Risks
The disaster recovery team should highlight and analyze potential risks to the business. At this stage, you should note aspects relating to natural disasters, man-made emergencies, and technology-related events. Identifying and assessing disaster risks will help your team create recovery strategies and highlight key resources they need to recover from a disaster.
Determine Critical Applications, Documents, and Resources
A DRP should include an evaluation of the key business processes to highlight the critical areas that could affect operations. Make sure the plan focuses on short-term survivability, including the generation of cash flow and revenue. Long-term solutions geared towards restoring full capacity may slow your recovery. However, the organization should know the fundamental processes that should not be delayed where possible.
Specify Backup and Off-Site Storage Procedures
A DRP plan should highlight what storage systems should be backed up, the person responsible, and how to complete the backup. In addition, make sure to include the backup location and the frequency of backups. For a successful plan, you should ensure every critical application, all the equipment, and all documents are backed up. Also, critical supplies needed for daily operations like checks and purchase orders should be placed in off-site locations.
Every organization should ensure they create a disaster recovery plan. A disaster recovery team will help identify potential risks, the critical applications and processes, and the specific backup procedures should a disaster take place. The data protection and backup plan should also include how it will be implemented and the key responsibilities for each individual. Make sure to test the DRP continually as disasters and emergencies evolve.
If you’re looking for customized technology solutions to incorporate into your organization’s disaster recovery plan, work with the experts at Pinnacle Technical Solutions. Contact us today to request a consultation.