Disaster Recovery is simply planning ahead to avoid problems, and being prepared in the event problem occurs. From business perspective Disaster Recovery has three basic components referred to as :
- Business planning and preparation
- Business system and technology preparation
- Incident response planning
These three basic strategy address how to effective prepare and respond to unexpected shutdown. While technical and logistical aspects of Disaster Recovery can be very complex, the operational components can be boiled into three basic concepts :
- Knowing the risk
- Necessary step for potential problem
- Problem counter
A business recovery plan is sometimes referred to as a continuity plan, however a disaster recover plan is often characterized as being specifically for IT system within a specific location. Because the field of disaster management is still relatively early in its development, it is not always clear what is meant by terms such as “Business Continuity”, “Emergency Management” or “Disaster Recovery”
Business Continuity planning, Disaster Recovery planning and Risk Management are all concerned with proactive approach to protecting an organization from disruption by prevention, risk transferor loss mitigation.
Emergency management is concerned with management of event as they unfold during actual or impending situation that may cost injury, loss of life or destruction of property.
Business Recovery Management is concerned with the recovery business after the emergency has receded and the organization begin the process of rebuilding. All three areas of current thought advocate a methodical approach to the development of formal “pro-active” plans and follow similar lines :
- Define objectives and assumption
- Gather facts analyze requirements
- Design the strategies
- Create the plan
- Implement the plan
- Test the plan
- Review/Update/Maintain the plan
After the initial plan is complete and successfully tested, schedule quarterly or semi-annual tests to be sure changes of the business or environment have not rendered part or all of plan ineffective.
