Disaster Recovery Plan

Disaster Recovery Plan

By

Christopher Knight

SEC340 Week 5

11 August 2013

Disaster Recovery Plan

When you think of network infrastructure, there isn’t a huge priority placed on disaster recovery (TechTarget, 2011). Network security has always had a high priority when it comes to the issues that can bring down a company. But in light of recent events in the past, such as a natural disasters as Hurricane Sandy in 2012 or 2011 Tōhoku earthquake in Japan, companies need to also focus on disasters than can affect their companies. The way a business can accomplish this is with a business continuity strategy is the key for any company to survive an IT-disabling disaster. As with any strategy there is always a main component, and that main component for business continuity strategy is the disaster recovery plan (DevX, 2002). A disaster can be defined as catastrophic event that is sudden and unplanned. This sudden and unplanned event can renders an organizations ability to execute any mission-critical or critical process and to affect an organizations ability to process any daily production (SANS Institute, 2003).

The first step in setting up a disaster recovery plan is for an organization to obtain top level management support. Upper level management crucial in this support and must be involved in the development and process of creating this plan (Disaster Recovery Journal). Top level management should be crucial in the process of defining rules, processes, and disciplines to ensure that all critical business process will continue (SANS Institute, 2003). The following is some key elements that upper level management should establish in this process:

* Perform a risk analysis

* Establish a planning group/committee

* Define roles and responsibilities

* Establish key personnel/Emergency Response Activities

In performing a risk analysis, an organization will determine all possible risks that can threaten an organizations ability to...