Creating and maintaining a business continuity and disaster recovery plan is one of the most critical steps businesses can take to prepare for the worst. The plans, also known as BCDR (business continuity and disaster recovery) strategies, help ensure a business isn’t completely shut down by events such as a pandemic or a natural disaster. Having a well-written BCDR plan can minimize the impact of an event and keep a company’s revenue flowing.
BCDR, which encompasses several different disciplines, including business continuity management, technology disaster recovery and incident response, is a proactive approach that helps an organization stay operational during a disaster. It includes planning, such as a business impact analysis (BIA) and a risk assessment, and executing plans, which include testing and exercising. The practices also include a chain of command that assigns responsibilities for the organization to handle a disaster, such as arranging hardware replacement or leasing emergency office space.
Having a BCDR plan in place is important for every type of organization, from small operations to large enterprises, because companies rely on digital technologies to generate revenue and support customers who expect applications and data to be available at all times. But even the most robust BCDR program can’t eliminate all risks, so it’s essential to have a backup plan in case of a disaster. It’s important to test and practice the plan, which can be as simple as a tabletop exercise or as rigorous as a full emergency simulation, and to review and update it regularly. business continuity and disaster recovery