How do you define IT business continuity roles and responsibilities?

1 BC Policy and Strategy

The first step in defining IT BC roles and responsibilities is to establish a BC policy and strategy that aligns with the organization's goals, objectives, and priorities. The BC policy and strategy should define the scope, objectives, and principles of IT BC, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the senior management, the BC coordinator, and the BC team. The BC policy and strategy should also specify the budget, resources, and tools for IT BC, as well as the frequency and methods of BC reviews and audits.

2 BC Coordinator

The BC coordinator is the person who oversees and coordinates the IT BC activities and ensures that the BC policy and strategy are followed and updated. The BC coordinator is responsible for leading the BC team, communicating with the senior management and other stakeholders, conducting BC risk assessments and business impact analyses, developing and maintaining the IT BC plan, organizing and facilitating BC tests and exercises, and reporting and documenting the IT BC results and lessons learned. The BC coordinator should have a good understanding of the IT infrastructure, systems, and processes, as well as the BC best practices and standards.

3 BC Team

The BC team is the group of people who support the BC coordinator and execute the IT BC plan. The BC team should consist of representatives from different IT functions and units, such as network, security, applications, data, and support. The BC team should have the skills, knowledge, and authority to perform the IT BC tasks and actions, such as backup, recovery, failover, and restoration. The BC team should also have the roles and responsibilities of the IT BC plan clearly defined and assigned, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the alternate or backup team members in case of absence or unavailability.

4 BC Plan

The BC plan is the document that outlines the IT BC procedures and processes, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the BC team and other stakeholders. The BC plan should include the following elements: the IT BC scope, objectives, and assumptions; the IT BC risk assessment and business impact analysis results; the IT BC recovery strategies and solutions; the IT BC roles and responsibilities matrix; the IT BC communication and escalation plan; the IT BC test and exercise plan; and the IT BC maintenance and update plan. The BC plan should be reviewed and approved by the senior management and the BC coordinator, and distributed and communicated to the BC team and other stakeholders.

5 BC Test and Exercise

The BC test and exercise is the activity that verifies and validates the IT BC plan and its effectiveness. The BC test and exercise should be conducted regularly and systematically, according to the BC test and exercise plan. The BC test and exercise should involve the BC team and other stakeholders, and simulate realistic scenarios and disruptions that could affect the IT functions and services. The BC test and exercise should also measure and evaluate the IT BC performance and outcomes, such as the recovery time objective (RTO) and the recovery point objective (RPO). The BC test and exercise should be followed by a debriefing and feedback session, where the BC coordinator and the BC team review and document the IT BC strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

6 BC Review and Audit

The BC review and audit is the activity that monitors and assesses the IT BC compliance and maturity. The BC review and audit should be performed periodically and independently, according to the BC review and audit plan. The BC review and audit should check and verify the IT BC policy and strategy, the IT BC plan, the IT BC test and exercise results, and the IT BC documentation and records. The BC review and audit should also identify and report the IT BC gaps, issues, and risks, as well as the IT BC recommendations and improvements. The BC review and audit should be reported and communicated to the senior management and the BC coordinator, and used as an input for the IT BC update and enhancement.