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Plan B: A primer on business
continuity planning
(4/28/2008)
It used to be that organizations look at Business Continuity
Planning (BCP) as an unnecessary expense; after all, simple,
and inexpensive, practices like backing up files in CDs should
be enough in case of emergencies, right?
The events of recent years, however, have served to underscore
the need for effecting Business Continuity plans. 9-11 was
a wake-up call to organizations; many businesses were not
able to bounce back from the severe disruption brought out
by that catastrophe. In the Philippines, events such as the
Oakwood Mutiny and super typhoon Milenyo also served as reminders
why Business Continuity Planning should be on every organization’s
agenda.
Business disruptions are also not limited to dramatic situations
mentioned above. The tense political atmosphere, brewing economic
problems and natural and manmade disasters such as fires and
network failures can eventually have a massive impact on an
organization.
The list of probable causes of business interruptions can
be endless, and they often happen without warning. Thus, creating
a Business Continuity Plan is imperative for organizations
simply because it prepares them for any eventuality. Suspended
operations, after all, will inevitably lead to loss of revenue,
customers, and even confidence of business partners. Because
long-term suspension of operations can have a devastating
effect on business, a viable recovery plan should be ready
to ensure that an organization will be able to survive a disaster,
resume normal processing and re-establish operations in the
quickest time possible.
To roll out an effective Business Continuity Plan, it is
extremely important to get the full support of the top management.
Many high-level executives are prone to be lulled to complacency
when a crisis has passed, but they should be made aware of
all other probable disasters that the company may face as
well as its impact. The support of the management also makes
it easier to come up with a strategic – and realistic
– plan focused on the business interests of the company.
When creating a viable Business Continuity Plan, organizations
must also determine their vulnerabilities, whether internal
or external, technical or economic. The critical business
processes of the organization should also be defined so that
there is increased focus to normalize these primary functions
during business resumption.
Management and key personnel, especially the company’s
Information Systems group, should also now work together in
defining the recovery requirements of and appropriate solutions
for each aspect of the organization’s operations. The
plan itself should be easily executed without any problems
in the event of a crisis and, more importantly, it should
be tested under realistic conditions and re-tested periodically.
Lastly, every member of the organization must be properly
educated and trained about its Business Continuity Plan, since
they will be the ones who will actually implement the plan.
With clearly defined goals and strategies, and well-informed
people, a company will be able to successfully execute their
Plan B.
In coming up with a Business Continuity Plan, organizations
should look into various solutions provided by outsourced
services providers. ePLDT, the country’s leading ICT
company, includes in its service portfolio a range of disaster
recovery solutions that help organizations continue operations
even in the midst of an emergency.
ePLDT’s VITRO™ ™ Disaster Recovery Solutions provide
organizations with seamless continuity and immediate recovery
in the event of disasters. ePLDT’s VITRO™ ™ Data
Center has readily available facilities and platforms complete
with workstations, telephone and fax lines, and other office
equipment such as printers and photocopiers to ensure availability
of IT resources for today’s data-intensive business
operations.
By availing of ePLDT VITRO™ ’s DR (Disaster Recovery)
Seats service, organizations reserve the right to use these
facilities should the need arise. Companies can have a few
of their IT personnel work on resuming operations, or even
have an entire department use the facilities as a temporary
office. This service is ideal particularly for Help Desk,
Call Center and Systems Administration functions. ePLDT currently
offer 116 DR seats, and can be availed through convenient
time-sharing schemes.
Several ePLDT VITRO™ clients have already realized the value
of having dedicated DR seats. During the Oakwood mutiny, and
more recently during the onslaught of typhoon Milenyo, clients
availed of their DR seats in VITRO™ to ensure that they are
in place to continue operations should a disaster strike.
Aside from DR seats, ePLDT can also store an organization’s
tape media in a secure environment to ensure data restoration
in the event of a disaster. The service incorporates a tape
courier service as well as tape custody functions that conform
to an organization’s guidelines and procedures.
ePLDT VITRO™ ’s Disaster Recovery facilities can help
organizations recoup interrupted operations in a matter of
hours. With the provision of seamless transition, these solutions
help lower downtime costs and lost potential revenues.
Having a viable Business Continuity Plan can help businesses
prepare for the unexpected. And by looking into Disaster Recovery
solutions offered by expert, reliable service providers, organizations
can ensure their survival despite the disaster.
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