Failing to test a
disaster recovery plan is a surprisingly common oversight that can negatively impact an organization's clients, employees and bottom line.
It would thus seem reasonable to expect that these businesses would have procedures in place to ensure that they are prepared for future disruptions; unfortunately, the survey revealed that prior disaster experience did not provide an impetus to implement a contingency or
disaster recovery plan.
Superstorm Sandy and its recent devastation-particularly in the New York and New Jersey area, where many medical device and drug companies have operations--is a wakeup call for medical device firms regarding the need to design and enact
disaster recovery plans. Insured losses from Sandy will top billions of dollars.
But companies also need to give thought to business continuity and
disaster recovery plans.
The key objective of a
disaster recovery plan is to detail the key activities required to reinstate the critical IT services within the agreed recovery objectives.
Nederland Independent School District in Texas, which didn't have a formal
disaster recovery plan before Hurricane Rita hit in September 2005, made it a priority afterward.
"Our new facility will be able to provide support to those who do not currently have a
disaster recovery plan in place."
Perform a business impact analysis to revenue and cost implications of a
disaster recovery plan.
This case analysis examines the process of developing and implementing a
disaster recovery plan. The case (1) discusses some of the inherent problems that large organizations face in developing an effective
disaster recovery plan, and (2) highlights the challenges of implementing a
disaster recovery plan in the face of real world events that vary from the plan's initial assumptions.
In those cases, a
disaster recovery plan will be of immense assistance in getting reorganized and back in business.
In addition to experiencing lost revenue and the cost to rebuild offices, business owners in New Orleans may have lost their essential documents and records (paper and electronic) that cannot be replaced--unless they had prepared a
disaster recovery plan in advance.
The rule requires a risk analysis and a contingency plan or
disaster recovery plan to be prepared in advance for use in a disaster such as Katrina and Rita.
