Your disaster recovery plan is a crucial aspect of business risk management. If you want to ensure you can maintain business continuity in the face of disaster, you need a good plan in place to help see you through the rough times. Here are 10 items your disaster recovery plan needs to have, or else you’re sunk.
1. Plan Coordinator
In an emergency state, it doesn’t work well to have a dozen people all trying to take charge. Avoid this by designating one person ahead of time to be in charge of disaster relief efforts. Everyone involved in the recovery plan should report to this person, including higher-level positions like officers, to avoid conflicts or working at cross-purposes.
2. Role Designations
Of course, everyone else should have a role too. Decide who will reach out to clients, who will manage PR, who will contract with any suppliers, etc. Then have a back up for each role.
3. Critical Systems List
Make a list of your critical systems, in their order of importance. When you’re trying to reboot, it’s very helpful to know which systems need to go live first to maintain the smoothest business operations.
4. Equipment List
You should also make a list of crucial equipment, so you know exactly what you need to replace in case any of it is malfunctioning or destroyed. That way you can avoid lengthy research and just replace it.
5. Offsite Plan
Your clients and customers may be affected by this, so have a plan for how you’ll approach satellite offices or customer sites.
6. Financial Plan
Decide how you’re going to pay for the most likely expenses involved in a disaster, then put this into the budget.
7. Backup Site
Designate a backup site where the company will work until the disaster is cleared up.
8. Communication Plan
Remember telephone trees? Craft a modern version and stick to it to ensure that everyone who needs to be in the loop is.
9. Plan Review and Update Schedule
Your plan isn’t worth much if it’s out of date. Schedule yearly disaster recovery plan maintenance to identify antiquated aspects of your plan and fix them.
10. Trusted Disaster Recovery Partner
The truth is, most companies can’t pull off a thorough, effective disaster recovery plan entirely on their own. If you want to ensure you’ve shored up all weaknesses and plugged the IT chinks in your plan, you’ll most likely need help. Don’t be afraid to get it. Companies like Great Lakes Computer specialize in helping make seamless disaster recovery plans that will get your business back up to speed in no time, so don’t hesitate to call.
Disaster stinks, but it doesn’t have to end your business or even prove particularly damaging, as long as you have a good data recovery plan in place. Start working on yours now, so whenever the axe falls, you’ll be ready to meet the challenges with an excellent plan, a prepared team and a trusted partner at your side.
