Computer Security Handbook, Fifth Edition

CHAPTER 59

DISASTER RECOVERY

Michael Miora

59.1 INTRODUCTION

59.2 IDENTIFYING THREATS AND DISASTER SCENARIOS

59.2.1 Threats

59.2.2 Disaster Recovery Scenarios

59.3 DEVELOPING RECOVERY STRATEGIES

59.3.1 Recovery Phases

59.3.2 Range of Strategies

59.3.3 Data Backup Scenarios and Their Meanings

59.4 DESIGNING RECOVERY TASKS

59.4.1 Beginning Sequence

59.4.2 Middle Sequence

59.4.3 End Sequence

59.5 IMPLEMENTATION AND READINESS

59.6 CONCLUDING REMARKS

59.7 FURTHER READING

59.1 INTRODUCTION.

In Chapter 58 in this Handbook, the importance of a business impact analysis (BIA) and the method of preparing one were described. Once the preliminary groundwork is finished and the BIA analysis is complete, the next step is to design specific strategies for recovery and the tasks for applying those strategies. In this chapter, we discuss the specific strategies to recover the Category I functions, the most time-critical functions identified during the BIA, as well as the remaining lower-priority functions. We examine the traditional strategies of hot sites, warm sites, and cold sites as well as a more modern technique we call reserve systems. We describe how to make good use of Internet and client/server technologies, and of high-speed connections for data backup, for making electronic journals and for data vaulting. We develop the recovery tasks representing the specific activities that must take place to continue functioning, and to resume full operations. These tasks begin with the realization ...