IT Disaster Recovery Plan
What do you when your Information Technology stops working?
Businesses use "Information Technology" to quickly and effectively process information. Employees use electronic mail and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephone systems to communicate. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is used to transmit data including orders and payments from one company to another. Servers process information and store large amounts of data. Desktop computers, laptops and wireless devices are used by employees to create, process, manage and communicate information. What do you when your Information Technology stops working?
An Information Technology Disaster Recovery Plan (IT DRP) can be developed in conjunction with the Business Continuity Plan. Priorities and recovery time objectives for "Information Technology" can be developed during the Business Impact Analysis. Technology recovery strategies can be developed to restore hardware, applications and data in time to meet the needs of the business recovery.
A plan for data backup and restoration of electronic information is essential.
Businesses large and small, create and manage large volumes of electronic information or data. Much of that data is important. Some data is vital to the survival and continued operation of the business. The impact of data loss or corruption from hardware failure, human error, hacking or malware could be significant. A plan for data backup and restoration of electronic information is essential.
Strategies can be developed to restore Hardware and Applications, as well as Data!
Here are some resources to learn more about potential recovery time options. If this is something that you would be interested in looking into, let us know, and we can sit down and assess the priorities and objectives based on you business continuity needs.
Resources for Information Technology Disaster Recovery Planning
IT Recovery Strategies
Recovery strategies should be developed for Information technology (IT) systems, applications and data. This includes networks, servers, desktops, laptops, wireless devices, data and connectivity. Priorities for IT recovery should be consistent with the priorities for recovery of business functions and processes that were developed during the business impact analysis. IT resources required to support time-sensitive business functions and processes should also be identified. The recovery time for an IT resource should match the recovery time objective for the business function or process that depends on the IT resource.
Information technology systems require hardware, software, data and connectivity. Without one component of the “system,” the system may not run. Therefore, recovery strategies should be developed to anticipate the loss of one or more of the following system components:
- Computer room environment (secure computer room with climate control, conditioned and backup power supply, etc.)
- Hardware (networks, servers, desktop and laptop computers, wireless devices and peripherals)
- Connectivity to a service provider (fiber, cable, wireless, etc.)
- Software applications (electronic data interchange, electronic mail, enterprise resource management, office productivity, etc.)
- Data and restoration
Some business applications cannot tolerate any downtime. They utilize dual data centers capable of handling all data processing needs, which run in parallel with data mirrored or synchronized between the two centers. This is a very expensive solution that only larger companies can afford. However, there are other solutions available for small to medium sized businesses with critical business applications and data to protect.
Internal Recovery Strategies
Many businesses have access to more than one facility. Hardware at an alternate facility can be configured to run similar hardware and software applications when needed. Assuming data is backed up off-site or data is mirrored between the two sites, data can be restored at the alternate site and processing can continue.
Vendor Supported Recovery Strategies
There are vendors that can provide “hot sites” for IT disaster recovery. These sites are fully configured data centers with commonly used hardware and software products. Subscribers may provide unique equipment or software either at the time of disaster or store it at the hot site ready for use.
Data streams, data security services and applications can be hosted and managed by vendors. This information can be accessed at the primary business site or any alternate site using a web browser. If an outage is detected at the client site by the vendor, the vendor automatically holds data until the client’s system is restored. These vendors can also provide data filtering and detection of malware threats, which enhance cyber security.
Developing an IT Disaster Recovery Plan
Businesses should develop an IT disaster recovery plan. It begins by compiling an inventory of hardware (e.g. servers, desktops, laptops and wireless devices), software applications and data. The plan should include a strategy to ensure that all critical information is backed up.
Identify critical software applications and data and the hardware required to run them. Using standardized hardware will help to replicate and reimage new hardware. Ensure that copies of program software are available to enable re-installation on replacement equipment. Prioritize hardware and software restoration.
Document the IT disaster recovery plan as part of the business continuity plan. Test the plan periodically to make sure that it works.
Data Backup
Businesses generate large amounts of data and data files are changing throughout the workday. Data can be lost, corrupted, compromised or stolen through hardware failure, human error, hacking and malware. Loss or corruption of data could result in significant business disruption.
Data backup and recovery should be an integral part of the business continuity plan and information technology disaster recovery plan. Developing a data backup strategy begins with identifying what data to backup, selecting and implementing hardware and software backup procedures, scheduling and conducting backups and periodically validating that data has been accurately backed up.
Developing the Data Backup Plan
Identify data on network servers, desktop computers, laptop computers and wireless devices that needs to be backed up along with other hard copy records and information. The plan should include regularly scheduled backups from wireless devices, laptop computers and desktop computers to a network server. Data on the server can then be backed up. Backing up hard copy vital records can be accomplished by scanning paper records into digital formats and allowing them to be backed up along with other digital data.
Options for Data Backup
Tapes, cartridges and large capacity USB drives without integrated data backup software are not an effective means for businesses to backup data. The frequency of backups, security of the backups and secure off-site storage should be addressed in the plan. Backups should be stored with the same level of security as the original data.
Many vendors offer online data backup services including storage in the “cloud”. This is a cost-effective solution for businesses with an internet connection. (Software installed on the client server or computer is not automatically backed up.)
Data should be backed up as frequently as necessary to ensure that, if data is lost, it is not unacceptable to the business. The Business Impact Analysis should evaluate the potential for lost data and define the “Recovery Point Objective.” Data restoration times should be confirmed and compared with the IT and business' functional recovery time objectives.
- Computer Security Resource Center - National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Computer Security Division Special Publications
- Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems - NIST Special Publication 800-34 Rev. 1
- Guide to Test, Training, and Exercise Programs for IT Plans and Capabilities – NIST Special Publication 800-84
- Building An Information Technology Security Awareness and Training Program - NIST Special Publication 800-50
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