A disaster recovery plan consists of information and procedures required to make a rapid recovery from an occurrence which would disable Corporate Services for more than 24 hours such as a tornado, earthquake, fire, or act of sabotage or terrorism.

Successful recovery of operations is dependent upon a complete set of specific written instructions for each department/area/center which address:

• Completing and maintaining an up-to-date disaster recovery plan
• Training personnel assigned to disaster recovery teams on various aspects of the plan
• Storing and securing adequate backup materials off-site
• Performing comprehensive tests of the plan
• Modifying the plan as a result of the tests
• Performing adequate cross-training to reduce reliance on key personnel
• Safeguarding vital information

Overall Objectives

The plan’s objective is to provide the information and procedures necessary to:

1.  Respond to a disaster occurrence
2.  Notify necessary personnel
3.  Assemble disaster recovery teams
4.  Secure alternative offices and equipment/supplies.
5.  Recover data and information.
6.  Resume processing to ensure minimal disruption to operations 

The high level plan is structured in an outline format.

A team approach is used in the disaster recovery plan.  Each team’s activities form a separate section of this document.  The teams (and related sections) are the:

• Management Team
•  Business Recovery Team
•  Resource Recovery Team
•  Technology Recovery Team

Each section details the procedures and specific responsibilities of its team.  Each section is also formatted to be used on a stand-alone basis if only one area of Corporate Services is affected by an event.

Recovery Levels

Management has assessed the impact of a disaster on functional areas on Corporate Services and classified that impact using the following disaster levels:

 Level 0

No interruption in operations

Level 1

Some facility and/or computer equipment damage, but operations can be resumed within eight hours

Level 2

Moderate damage to the facility and/or the computer equipment, but operations can be resumed within eight to 24 hours

Level 3

Major facility and/or computer equipment damage, with interruption in operations for over 24 hours.  All functions and personnel should be moved to an alternate site(s)

Testing

Realistic testing of the plan on a periodic basis is critical.  Reasons for testing the plan include:

• Determining the feasibility of the disaster recovery process
• Verifying the compatibility of backup facilities
• Identifying deficiencies in the existing procedures
• Identifying areas that need modification or enhancement
• Providing training to team managers and team members
• Proving the ability for Corporate Services ability to recover from any event
• Providing a mechanism for maintaining and updating the disaster recovery plan

www.bestitdocuments.com