Information Technology Disaster Recovery Plan
Information Technology Disaster Recovery Plan
A disaster recovery plan is a detailed document of processes that enable an organization to recover in the event of a disaster and is herein described is referred to as a DRP. Some of the disasters that are covered include natural data loss and other malicious hacks on secured data. The DRP detailed in this report outlines the potential risks that face an organization’s IT operations and develops a plan that focuses an institution’s response towards reestablishing the security that was once existent on the data. This strategy begins with addressing the recovery of normal organization activities and advances depending on the magnitude of the threat. The DRP structure implemented below is intended for use in accordance with the ISO 24762 and ISO 27031 requirements that are particular to the recovery of data in Information technology plans.
The response given by an organization in the event of a crisis helps determine the organization’s ability to remain operational. This is attributed to the DRP’s ability to improve the rate of recovery of organizational health as well as prevent extensive damage to the data stored in the servers. It is important to appreciate that the IT recovery plan is a part of the organization’s DRP and hence is focused on areas such as the employee database and workstation, reduction of system downtime, and support for critical online operations. The paper carefully details the response and recovery actions and procedures performed by an institution to ensure data integrity is retained and continually available to the user. In the organization, the users utilize internet protocols that allow voice over’s for communications and electronic appliances to exchange data such as the orders placed and transaction of payments between the involved organizations. the data within an organization is generated by various electronic gadgets such as the employee desktops at their work stations or their laptops and the wireless routers that they are connected. Subsequently, the information needs to be processed after creation, managed, and effectively communicated.
Goals
In this section of the DRP, the organization outlines the aims it intends the DRP to execute in the event that a disaster occurs and disrupts the standard functioning of the organization system. Other than detailing the expected response, an estimate of the time required to execute measures should be indicated by the organization’s emergency operations department. In order to determine whether an incident is an emergency, the maximum time that is allowed for an operation is to help determine the severity of the disaster as well as the appropriate point to execute recovery programs.
Another goal for implementing a DRP for electronic appliances within an organization is to create a platform for the information technology specification. As a result, organizations and users enjoy information accessibility through continuity strategies. The continuous operation of organization operations is dependent on the secure storage of some of the fundamental blocks.
Personnel
A detailed description of the personnel placed in charge of implementing the DRP in the event of an emergency within an organization. Organizations experience different ranges of adversity extent caused by a disaster. The department that is charged with the responsibility of overseeing the effective application of DRP in a disaster helps to restore the system’s operations management. An extensive evaluation of the systems hardware and software appliances helps determine how critical disasters are and the type of response warranted. The operations manager is charged with various responsibilities such as;
- Provision of support for the organization services
- Evaluation of the damage caused to the telecommunication appliances
- Assessment of the extent of damage resulting from the disaster
- Implementation of DRP procedures when organization incurs crisis
- Maintain IT inventory
Backup procedures
Organizations have multiple storage facilities that allow for the backing up of information for ease of recovery. Usually, an organization generates enormous amounts of data from its servers and stored in its onsite data storage facilities. However, the data is quite enormous that it warrants the use of an offsite data storage facility to manage the information generated on employee work stations, laptops, and other wireless electronic gadgets. In a day, enormous amounts of information are transmitted that is vulnerable to corruption and hacking, or malware that leads to data loss. These disruptions affect the accessibility of information to the users of the system.
An effective backup procedure should entail the continuity of business operations and be clearly outlined in the DRP. Data should be backed up regularly using procedures that apply a range of hardware and software applications. Some of the hardware appliances that consume lots of space range from USB drives and tapes that serve as an effective means to store information in offsite storage facilities. Additionally, the continuous and frequent backup of data to a secure site helps retain the integrity of the original information.
The organization has also quite extensively embraced the application of information technology systems such as the cloud that provides organizations with a cost-effective solution for organizations where the devices are connected via the internet. Backup procedures help determine the appropriate point to conduct data recovery.
Disaster recovery procedures
This section extensively details the type of disaster response that is most suitable for each disaster in order to ensure complete restoration. These DRP procedures minimize the damages caused to organization data and the eradication of future reoccurrence of similar breaches. Applications and appliances that generate information should employ DRP measures to an organization’s wireless and connectivity devices. The goals for an IT disaster recovery plan should include clearly stated goals for the recovery processes that should also align with the organization’s primary functions. The appliances that serve as the platform for some of the main organization-sensitive operations and functions should be identified and matched with the priority of response applied.
The connectivity of the devices that run business operations is quite a dependant that the failure of one system impedes the effective functioning of the others. Therefore the DRP also takes into consideration the loss of any of the components of the system and the resultant severity of consequence. The system components should be properly maintained through;
- A well developed and secure working environment (power supply backup, climate control, and facility security)
- Hardware appliances such as desktops, routers, and network servers
- Telecommunication (connectivity provider)
- Software developments (electronic data transfer)
- Data and stored information
Disaster recovery sites
The organization has an external or offsite facility that supports ease of data recovery. This remote site stores backup for the critical functions of the organization with data that is constantly backed up; hence can support the operations while the onsite facility is restored. In instances where the organization cannot afford to be compromised due to the significance of its operations, various recovery sites should be constructed to enable the organization to continually process data through the sync of its operations and information stored in either site.
Conclusion
A DRP is considered to be effective if the procedures are detailed in recovering and restoring an organization’s data back to its original state. It is also perceived as effective if the procedures executed to recover operations mitigate or eliminate the possibility of a loss of data. Conclusively DRP is implemented by organizations to ensure that both an organization’s hardware and software are recovered fully to meet the day to today requirements.