Testing Disaster Recovery Plans

A Backup Article Contributed by A.J. Vasaris

Do You Have a Disaster Recovery Plan?

Why do you need a disaster recovery plan? Okay, so you're a small company, maybe a dozen employees doing a brisk business via phone, mail, and web. You say to yourself, "I don't need a disaster recovery plan. I'm too small." So what happens when a disaster strikes? No I don't mean another 9/11, but those natural disasters like flood, fire, power failure, tornado or even a disgruntled employee.

Here's some grim statistics:

45% of companies without a disaster recovery plan never re-open after a disaster.

80% fail within a year and 90% fail within two years of the disaster.

40% of companies with a disaster recovery plan do not test it yearly.

Many small businesses think that backing up their computer systems IS a disaster recovery plan. Computer backups are a part of the plan, but think of all your business processes, no matter how mundane. How will you answer the phone? How will mail and supplies be delivered? How will orders go out? How will they come in? Where will employees work if there is no workplace? These situations may seem far-fetched now, but you need to have a plan...just in case.

Testing Your Disaster Recovery Plan

So you've thought out a plan, documented it, given it to all employees and assigned responsibilities. First, prepare a script of your test "disaster." Try a small disaster, like a pipe bursting and flooding your entire building. Or, go for a movie-like disaster and have a tornado destroy the entire community. Let vendors and customers know what you are planning to do. Some may even want to get involved if they depend on you for services or product.

Have some goals for your test. Make sure each assignment has a responsible party and the tasks are performed. Check to see how fast you can get operations running again. Look for weaknesses or failure in your plan.

Afterwards review the entire plan with all entities involved. Can changes be made for improvement? What did you miss?

Maintaining Your Disaster Recovery Plan

The disaster recovery plan should not just sit on the shelf and be brought out once a year. Every change in your company should have a corresponding change in the disaster recovery plan. Such changes as in employees, buildings, phones, customers and vendors need to be documented. Test at least once a year. But if changes are many and drastic, you may need to test more often.

It is unwise to wait until a disaster actually happens to learn whether your plan is going to work or not. Disaster recovery plans lay out the steps and strategies to be followed in the event of a disaster ... weather emergency, power outage or loss of critical business functions. Until a disaster happens you never really know how you, your employees and vendors will react. A little role-playing with a test can work out the kinks. It is important to hold regular, realistic tests for your disaster recover plan. Don't let your plan lose meaning by not testing.