Chapter 11: Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning

In This Chapter

• Defining events

• Discovering the difference between BCP and DRP

• Understanding Business Continuity Planning projects

• Defining Business Impact Assessment

• Defining BCP Recovery Plan Development

• Developing and implementing the Business Continuity Plan

• Planning for disaster recovery

• Testing your disaster recovery plan

Overview

Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP) work hand in hand to provide the organization with the means to continue and recover business operations when a disaster strikes. BCP and DRP each are intensive and highly detailed planning initiatives that result in important-looking three-ring binders full of business continuation and recovery procedures for every participant’s bookshelf.

Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery Planning exist for one reason: Bad things happen. Organizations with a desire to survive a disastrous incident need to make formal and extensive plans - contingency plans to keep the business running, and recovery plans to return operations to normal.

Keeping a business operating during a disaster can be like juggling with one arm tied behind your back. You’d better plan in advance how you’re going to do it, and practice! It could happen at night, you know (one-handed juggling in the dark is a lot harder).