How to Keep Your Business Going Strong: Insights on Disaster Recovery and Resilience
15th April 2024 | Blogs
In today's digital landscape, where businesses rely heavily on digital infrastructure, the importance of disaster recovery planning cannot be overstated. The stakes are high, with data loss or system outages posing significant threats to organisational survival. To ensure preparedness for any crisis, it's crucial to not only develop a robust disaster recovery plan but also regularly test its effectiveness.
Testing Your Disaster Recovery Plan:
A well-tested disaster recovery plan is the cornerstone of organisational resilience. But how do you ensure that your plan will work when you need it most?
1. Review and Update: Start by reviewing and updating your disaster recovery plan regularly. With the evolving landscape of threats, it's essential to ensure that your plan covers the latest risks and incorporates changes in your technology stack or infrastructure.
2. Define Clear Objectives: Set clear objectives for your testing efforts, including Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs). These benchmarks will help you gauge the effectiveness of your plan and measure its success.
3. Choose the Right Test: Select the appropriate test type based on your organisation's needs. Whether it's checklist tests, tabletop exercises, or penetration testing, each offers unique advantages in assessing your plan's efficiency.
4. Communicate and Schedule: Effective communication and strategic scheduling are vital for a successful test. Ensure that all involved parties are informed about the test's objectives, boundaries, and timing well in advance to minimise disruptions.
5. Perform Testing: Execute the test according to the established protocols, recording each action and deviation from the plan. Regular and continuous communication throughout the process is essential for successful implementation.
6. Analyse Results: Following the test, analyse the results carefully to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This review process is crucial for refining your disaster recovery plan and enhancing its effectiveness.
Operational Resilience: A Holistic Perspective:
While disaster recovery planning is essential, it's just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to organisational resilience. To truly withstand the challenges posed by cyber threats and disruptions, organisations must adopt a broader perspective of operational resilience.
1. Mending A Broken Chain: Operational resilience requires organisation-wide participation, from executives to individual employees. This inclusive approach ensures that every aspect of the business ecosystem is considered, including suppliers and partners.
2. Putting The “operation” In Operational Resilience: Operational resilience encompasses more than just recovery—it involves proactive measures to keep the business operational during disruptive events. This requires a deep understanding of operational technology and its integration with information technology.
3. Bridging The Gap Between IT And OT: A disconnect between IT and operational technology can hinder resilience efforts. Encouraging collaboration between departments and demystifying cybersecurity are essential steps in bridging this gap.
4. The Role Of Active Directory: Active Directory plays a central role in operational resilience, serving as the backbone of an organisation's identity system. Prioritising the resilience of Active Directory is critical in safeguarding against cyber threats
Conclusion:
In conclusion, ensuring operational resilience requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond traditional disaster recovery planning. By regularly testing disaster recovery plans and adopting a holistic view of resilience, organisations can better withstand the ever-evolving threat landscape.
Insights presented in partnership with Cyber Security Intelligence.
Cyber Security Intelligence
