| The BCP team should define key personnel within the business units and IT to implement the plan. These personnel should be a part of the planning, testing, and maintenance of the BCP. Key personnel should have alternates to function in their place, where necessary. Per ISACA, response team structures within the BCP might include the following: Emergency action team These are the first responders and deal with the immediate effects of the disaster. One of their primary functions is to evacuate personnel and secure human life. Damage-assessment team This team assesses the damage immediately following the disaster, to provide the estimate of time to recover. Emergency-management team This team is the primary coordinator for the recovery efforts. It handles key decision making and directs recovery teams and business personnel. It also handles financial arrangement, public relations, and media inquiries. The emergency-management team should coordinate the following activities: Retrieving critical data from off-site storage facilities Installing and testing systems software and applications at the system-recovery site Identifying, purchasing, and installing hardware at the system-recovery site Operating from the system-recovery site Rerouting network communication traffic Re-establishing the user/system network Transporting users to the recovery facility Reconstructing databases Supplying necessary office goods, such as special forms, check stock, paper, and so on Arranging and paying for employee relocation expenses at the recovery facility Coordinating systems use and employee work schedules
Off-site storage team This team is responsible for obtaining, packaging, and shipping media and records to the recovery facilities, as well as establishing and overseeing an off-site storage schedule for information created during operations at the recovery site. Software team This team is responsible for restoring system service packs, loading and testing operating systems software, and resolving system-level problems. Applications team This team travels to the systems-recovery site and restores user packs and application programs on the backup system. As the recovery progresses, this team might have the responsibility of monitoring application performance and database integrity. Security team This team continually monitors the security of system and communication links, resolves any security conflicts that impede the expeditious recovery of the system, and ensures the proper installation and functioning of the security software package. Emergency operations team This team consists of shift operations and shift supervisors who will reside at the systems-recovery site and manage system operations during the duration of the disaster and recovery projects. Another responsibility might be coordinating hardware installation, if a hot site or other equipment-ready facility has not been designated as the recovery center. Network-recovery team This team is responsible for rerouting wide-area voice and data communications traffic, re-establishing host network control and access at the system-recovery site, providing ongoing support for data communications, and overseeing communications integrity. Communications team This team travels to the recovery site, where its members work in conjunction with the remote network-recovery team to establish a user/system network. This team also is responsible for soliciting and installing communication hardware at the recovery site, and working with the local exchange carriers and gateway vendors in the rerouting of local service and gateway access. Transportation team This team serves as a facilities team to locate a recovery site, if one has not been predetermined, and is responsible for coordinating the transport of company employees to a distant recovery site. It also might assist in contacting employees to inform them of new work locations and scheduling and arranging employees' lodging. User hardware team This team locates and coordinates the delivery and installation of user terminals, printers, typewriters, photocopiers, and other necessary equipment. This team also offers support to the communication team and to any hardware and facilities salvage efforts. Data preparation and records team This team works from a terminal that connects to the user recovery site and updates the applications database. The team also oversees additional data-entry personnel and assists in record-salvage efforts in acquiring primary documents and other input information sources Administrative support team This team provides clerical support to the other teams and serves as a message center for the user-recovery site. This team also might control accounting and payroll functions, as well as ongoing facilities management. Supplies team This team supports the efforts of the user hardware team by contacting vendors and coordinating logistics for an ongoing supply of necessary office and computer supplies. Salvage team This team manages the relocation project. It also makes a more detailed assessment of the damage to the facilities and equipment than was performed initially, provides the emergency-management team with the information required to determine whether planning should be directed toward reconstruction or relocation, provides information necessary for filling out insurance claims, and coordinates the efforts necessary for immediate records salvage, such as restoring paper documents and electronic media. Relocation team This team coordinates the process of moving from the hot site to a new location or to the restored original location. This involves relocating the information systemsprocessing operations, communications traffic, and user operations. This team also monitors the transition to normal service levels.
The response teams are responsible for the tasks associated with everything from evacuating personnel and securing human life, to relocating and resuming critical business functions. Each individual on the response team should have clearly defined responsibilities and documented procedures on how to perform their tasks. |
