Contingency planning, also referred to as Business Continuity Planning
(BCP), is about a coordinated strategy that involves plans, procedures
and technical measures to enable the recovery of systems, operations,
and data after a disruption. One of the critical steps in contingency
planning is Business Impact Analysis (BIA). BIA helps to identify and
prioritize critical Information Technology (IT) systems and components.
IT systems may have numerous components, interfaces and processes. BIA
enables a complete characterization of:
- System requirements
- Processes
- Interdependencies
As part of the BIA process, information is collected, analyzed and
interpreted. The information provides the basis for defining
contingency requirements and priorities.
The contingency plan must be developed with the input and support of
line-of-business managers and all key constituencies, since the plan
will need to work across the organization. The plan must be based on
the risks faced by the organization as well as risks associated with
partners, suppliers, and customers. All technology issues must be
addressed in the context of business operations. The plan itself must
be tested regularly and refined as required. The core objectives of
contingency planning include the capability to:
- Restore operations at an alternate site (if
necessary)
- Recover operations using alternate equipment
(if necessary)
- Perform some or all of the affected business
processes using other means
