Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning Concepts

In the business world today, every customer expects Organizations to walk the talk. Being sensitive to customer expectations and to ensure that the business operations are not hampered due to any reason, organizations have begun to take the concepts of Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity plans seriously.

The concept of Disaster recovery is of prime importance in technology companies who cannot afford any instability of failure of their systems and processes due to failure of hardware, software, applications, database, network, communications or any other technology related area. However the concept of planning for disaster recovery is not limited to technology companies alone. Most of the multinational and global organizations, research organizations as well as service sector organizations including banks, credit card companies, airlines, hospitals and others too have adapted this practice. In the ultimate analysis they have realized that it pays to cover yourself against any possible risk or threat to your business and the cost of doing so is considered to be a necessary expenditure.

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity plans are mainly focused on getting the business process up and running in the least minimum time. However it may be noted that Disaster Recovery is not the same as Business Continuity, though both are interweaving most of the time. In both cases, the recovery plan involves the concept of Disaster Recovery or Business Continuity Center or site. One has several options available to locate and setup the DR or BC Center depending upon the nature and size of business, the criticality of business processes, location and many more parameters.

DR or BC site refers to an alternate site or location that is fully equipped and ready to use in case of emergency or need. When in case of crises or a threat, if the systems fail and the business is hampered, then a team of workers can immediately relocate to the DR or BC Site and start minimal operations as planned. Thus the DR or BC site provides an alternative and ready solution to ensure that the business is up and running.

Depending upon the plan and the nature of business, Organizations can use any one of the following options to set up the DR & BC Center.

• Set up an alternative site and an office within the city in another location, complete with connectivity, systems and all infrastructures required to resume business.

• Global and Multinational companies have the option of using overseas facilities as DR & BC site and relocate their business process to start immediate operations.

• In case of Companies having branch offices in the same city or other cities, such branches can be used as DR & BC Sites.

• Identify and tie up with third party vendor who operates and is able to offer DR & BC site as a commercial proposition.

• In case of Business continuity, the warehouses or the homes of employees, local business centers can also be used as DR sites to resume minimal operations.

Using the above options depends upon the business operations and the financial outlay budgeted in the DR & BC Plan. In case of IT system recoveries, the options will have to be worked out more elaborately.