Disaster Planning Process

First step in the disaster recovery process is to perform a business impact analysis that considers all the potential impacts from each type of disaster. Disaster Recovery Plans should consider how to deal with these possible events:

• Natural Disasters (Earthquake, Fire, Flood, Storms)
• Terrorist Acts (Weapons of Mass Destruction)
• Power Disruptions, Power Failure
• Computer Software or Hardware Failures
• Computer Shutdowns due to Hackers, Viruses etc.
• Processing Shutdowns
• Labor Strike (Walkouts, Shutdowns).

Having determined the potential events, the management must next look at the impacts of each event and the magnitude of the resulting disruptions. This critical activity will determine which scenarios are most likely to occur and what recovery processes are needed.

The key components of a disaster plan include:

• Threat Analysis
• Risk Assessment
• Mitigation Steps (disaster prevention and damage reduction)
• Response and Recovery Plans
• Damage Assessment Process
• Salvage Procedures
• Rehabiliation Plans.