5 July, 2023

In this blogpost we are going to take a quick look at what disaster recovery plan template (DRP) is available in SAMMY and explain their usage. This is also a follow-up blogpost on Codific’s CGO Dag Flachets blogpost about disaster recovery plan management which can be found on this link: https://codific.com/disaster-recovery-plan-management/

Quick recap on Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

Organizations face the ongoing danger of unexpected events and interruptions that can dramatically hinder their operations in today’s technology-driven environment. Disasters, cyber-attacks and human mistakes are just a few of the events that can result in the loss or compromise of crucial data and systems, or just general business continuity. Organizations adopt a thorough disaster recovery plan to mitigate these risks and assure company continuity.

A disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a strategic framework meant to mitigate the impact of disruptive disasters while also facilitating the rapid recovery of crucial business processes and IT infrastructure. It specifies a set of regulations and safeguards that businesses must implement in the event of a disaster in order to restore operations efficiently and successfully.

Template available on SAMMY

The template on SAMMY features a module that includes a number of important components. It is based on the guidance of NIST (special publication 800-34).  In this section we will take a deeper look at what they are.

Supporting Information

The supporting information section contains the basic details that assist establish the plan’s goal, scope, and assumptions. It serves as the foundation for the rest of the plan, ensuring clarity and alignment throughout the organization.

Defining the purpose of the plan includes stating the overall objectives and goals that the plan aims to achieve. For example, the purpose may be to minimize downtime and protect critical data. It also ensures the continuity of essential business operations in the event of a disaster.

The scope is to outline the boundaries and limitations of the plan. Define the systems, applications, processes, and infrastructure that the plan covers. This helps establish a clear understanding of the areas and resources that will be addressed during a disaster recovery scenario.

Concept of Operation

Firstly, the concept of operation is an important part of a disaster recovery plan because it provides a thorough grasp of the system description, roles and responsibilities, and the three major phases: activation, recovery, and validation. 

Roles and responsibilities are critical in carrying out the disaster recovery strategy. This part expands on the earlier role assignment by providing a detailed breakdown of each individual’s or team’s precise tasks, responsibilities, and authorities. Duties and responsibilities that are clearly defined promote effective coordination, speed decision-making processes, and guarantee that everyone understands their position in the overall recovery efforts.

The disaster recovery plan is built on the activation, recovery, and validation phases. These phases define the sequential order of actions and activities required to respond to a disaster and recover important systems. Additionally, each phase includes specific goals and tasks that contribute to the successful restoration of operations; whereas the activation phase focuses on recognizing and acknowledging the occurrence of a disaster or disruptive event, the recovery phase entails the systematic restoration of critical systems, applications, and data. Once the recovery attempts are completed, the validation step commences. During this step, testing and verification are conducted on the recovered systems to ensure their functionality, integrity, and conformity with predetermined service level agreements (SLAs) or performance metrics.

Appendices

The disaster recovery plan template appendices section includes a wide range of supporting materials and resources. Servers to improve the plan’s effectiveness and implementation. These appendices contain useful information, instructions, and reference materials that aid in the execution and maintenance of the DRP.

List of appendices

• • Personnel Contact List: The personnel contact list ensures efficient communication and coordination during a disaster. Provides easy access to the individuals responsible for executing various tasks outlined in the DRP.
  • Vendor Contact List: The vendor contact list helps facilitate communication and collaboration with external entities during the recovery process.
  • Detailed Recovery Procedures: This appendix provides in-depth recovery procedures for specific systems or processes outlined in the DRP. Detailed recovery protocols provide consistency and accuracy in recovery job execution, decreasing delay and the effect of a disaster.
  • Alternate Processing Plan: In the event of a disaster, organizations may need to establish alternate processing methods or locations to ensure business continuity.
  • Validation Test Plan: This appendix provides a comprehensive test plan for validating the effectiveness and functionality of the DRP. Ensures that the DRP is regularly tested and optimized to maintain its relevance.
  • Alternate Storage Locations: Alternate storage locations ensure the availability and integrity of critical data during a disaster.
  • Diagrams: These diagrams of the DRP help stakeholders gain a clear understanding of the organization’s infrastructure and data flows.
  • Inventory: For the successful recovery of systems and operations, a complete list of important assets is necessary. This includes hardware, software, and infrastructure components is provided in the inventory appendix.
  • Interconnections Table: The interconnectivity table aids in identifying essential paths, prioritizing recovery activities, and assuring a thorough recovery strategy.
  • Test and Maintenance Associated Documentation: Provides a historical record of previous test exercises. This enables companies to draw lessons from the past, monitor progress, and pinpoint areas for growth.
  • Business Impact Analysis Document: A disaster’s potential effects on crucial business processes and resources are evaluated in the business impact analysis (BIA) document.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the SAMMY disaster recovery template provides a thorough and structured way to establish a solid disaster recovery strategy. Organizations can use this template to ensure they have a well-defined and effective strategy in place to limit the consequences of disasters and quickly recover essential business operations.