Faster Disaster Recovery

CHAPTER 6Step 3: Collect Data

You need to understand the overall operations of your organization, the specific operations of each department, and the functions necessary for each department to operate in order for your business continuity plan (BCP) to be effective. That’s why the third step involves collecting information.

When collecting data, consider the following questions:

• What are your main products or services (in volume and in financial value)?
• How do you produce or deliver them?
• Who would be affected if you were prevented from delivering as scheduled?
• What legal, contractual, regulatory, and financial obligations do you have?
• What functions could be performed at an alternate location?
• What functions, if you were not able to perform them, would be an inconvenience as opposed to a disaster?
• What functions are performed on a daily basis?
• What functions have reasonable workarounds?
• What vendors do you rely on (sole suppliers, payroll processing, billing) during the normal course of business?

IDENTIFY YOUR MISSION-CRITICAL FUNCTIONS

Your next step is to identify and list your mission-critical functions. What are these?

A mission-critical function is any function that must continue to occur, even without access to the normal equipment, data, facilities, or staff. For instance, consider the products and services you provide. What resources do you need to produce or provide them? Do you have any significant or sole source suppliers?

Additionally, what personnel are critical ...