How do you prioritize the recovery of critical IT functions and assets in a disaster scenario?

1 Identify your critical IT functions and assets

The first step is to determine which IT functions and assets are essential for your business processes, goals, and customers. These are the ones that have the highest priority for recovery, as they support the core activities and services of your organization. You can use a tool called IT Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to assess the potential consequences of losing or degrading your IT functions and assets, such as revenue loss, customer dissatisfaction, regulatory non-compliance, or reputational damage. The BIA can help you rank your IT functions and assets based on their criticality, recovery time objective (RTO), and recovery point objective (RPO).

3 Implement your recovery procedures and protocols

The third step is to execute your recovery procedures and protocols, following the guidelines and instructions of your BCP. You can use a tool called IT Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) to outline your recovery procedures and protocols, such as roles and responsibilities, communication channels, escalation paths, testing methods, or validation criteria. The DRP can help you coordinate and monitor your recovery activities, ensuring that they are performed in a timely and effective manner, and that they meet your recovery objectives and standards.

4 Communicate your recovery status and progress

The fourth step is to communicate your recovery status and progress to your internal and external stakeholders, such as management, employees, customers, suppliers, or regulators. You can use a tool called IT Crisis Communication Plan (CCP) to establish your communication strategy and tactics, such as messages, media, frequency, or feedback. The CCP can help you inform and reassure your stakeholders, maintaining their trust and confidence, and managing their expectations and concerns.

5 Evaluate your recovery performance and lessons learned

The fifth step is to evaluate your recovery performance and lessons learned, analyzing the results and outcomes of your recovery process. You can use a tool called IT Post-Disaster Review (PDR) to measure and report your recovery performance and lessons learned, such as metrics, indicators, gaps, or improvements. The PDR can help you assess and improve your recovery capabilities and readiness, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of your recovery plans, procedures, and protocols.

6 Update your recovery plans and procedures

The sixth step is to update your recovery plans and procedures, incorporating the findings and recommendations of your PDR. You can use a tool called IT Recovery Plan Maintenance (RPM) to update and revise your recovery plans and procedures, such as changes, additions, or deletions. The RPM can help you keep your recovery plans and procedures current and relevant, ensuring that they reflect your business needs, risks, and environment.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?