| What is business continuity planning? BCP, as it's | | | | continuity plan will specify all the steps needed to |
| often called, and its close cousin, disaster | | | | get a minimum level of business functionality off |
| recovery, is the kind of thing you hope you never | | | | the ground, as soon as possible after an adverse |
| need to use. But when you need it, you really | | | | event. Specialist consultants will help to put a plan |
| need it. | | | | together that is specific to your business, and as |
| Here's one way of looking at business continuity | | | | detailed as you need it to be. |
| planning. You're the owner or director of a | | | | But it's not enough just to have a plan (hopefully |
| business, and everything's ticking along nicely. | | | | not sitting at the back of the stationery |
| Turnover is steadily increasing, all (or most) clients | | | | cupboard!). The business continuity plan must also |
| are happily praising you to the skies, and all your | | | | be regularly tested and updated, so that all |
| crucial information assets are safely parked on a | | | | employees are familiar with their duties, and all |
| server somewhere in the depths of the IT | | | | details are in line with the current situation. This |
| department. | | | | means regular review to update contact details, |
| Then disaster strikes! It could be a serious fire, a | | | | building layout, etc. It also means occasional live |
| prolonged power cut, pandemic flu picking off all | | | | tests, when a disaster is simulated and employees |
| your employees, or just the traditional massive | | | | practice their roles. Quite often an apparently |
| loss of data after a hard disk crash. (And you did | | | | flawless business continuity plan will prove to be |
| back it up, didn't you?) | | | | seriously defective when tested! |
| Suddenly your business is in trouble! | | | | Part of your business continuity planning will be |
| One of the managers shows commendable | | | | the safeguarding of your information assets. Your |
| initiative and tracks down the BCP, somewhere at | | | | business would probably be completely unable to |
| the back of the stationery cupboard. Together all | | | | function without its vital information assets. This is |
| the employees who've managed to make it into | | | | where specialist information security consultants |
| work that morning gather around the plan, and | | | | can help. But it's very important that the plan is |
| blow dust and dead flies off it. With trembling | | | | fully "owned" by your business, and regularly |
| hands the manager opens it to reveal... a page of | | | | tested and updated. Without the full engagement |
| ten-year-old telephone numbers. | | | | of all employees, even the best disaster recovery |
| Now what? | | | | or business continuity plan will be no more than an |
| This is where you need to have invested in | | | | expensive shelf lining. |
| business continuity consulting long before BCP | | | | But with the right business continuity planning, and |
| became an issue. Together with a disaster | | | | the right advice from consultants, your business |
| recovery plan for getting your ICT systems up | | | | could still be functioning when others would have |
| and running as fast as possible, a business | | | | folded. |