HOW TO PLAN, INITIATE AND CLOSE A DISASTER

A clearly defined, documented and tested Disaster Recovery plan will help your business to surmount the problems caused by a disaster. It will help you recover in the shortest possible time, thus ensuring business continuity. Your losses can be kept to the minimum and customer goodwill retained.

Your business should have a clearly defined policy of a Plan Activation. The activation of a DR plan means, who, how and when your Disaster Recovery (DR) plan will be put in action. To ensure that the activation is timely and recovery strategies as per your DR plan are set in motion, clearly defined markers for activation must be a part of the DR plan.

The basic guidelines for activation are:

• Activation of DR should have the five basic elements as its basis
• Clear activation guidelines
• Activation steps to be clearly defined

Scope of Activation – 5 basic steps

• Activation Criteria – list out the specific disaster conditions which will trigger the DR plan
• Disaster Evaluation and Assessment – evaluate potential disasters to see if DR activation criteria have been met
• Approval for Activation of DR plan – obtaining all needed approvals for activation of DR plan
• Logistics of Activation – ensure that all systems and facilities are available for supporting DR plan post activation
• Communications – to keep all stakeholders informed of the evolving situation

Once the DR plan has been put into action and business operations have normalized, a determination by the appropriate person must be made and if specified criteria as per DR plan are met, the disaster can be closed.