INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECURITY

The Importance of Business Continuity Planning in Disaster Recovery and Computer Security

The Importance of Business Continuity Planning in Disaster Recovery and Computer Security

Introduction

The concept of strategic planning has been the key factor that has prompted a high level of change in the administration of UK corporations. The art of strategic planning has assisted the planners to outlook and contend with the competing forces, matters and difficulties after their functioning control. Nevertheless, all the non-foreseeable matters will not be forecasted. Therefore, a certain creative function for the administration of these matters and crises appears to be missing in a large number of companies. The main objective of plan business continuity is to provide mechanisms that help in enhancing the capacity for an entity and react to disruptions in their services to protect processes which are considered critical to the occurrence of failures or disasters. Broadly speaking, a business plan continuity, should be following a series of stages, some of them should be repeated in cyclical time, others be carried out in a continuous manner. The aim of this redundancy is to ensure that the plan remain in force at the time and is appropriately updated. This will be useful for the entity in relevant failures or disasters. Business Continuity Management has two plans that are parallel to the Business Continuity Plan and the Disaster Recovery Plan.

Business Continuity Plan is aimed at recovering people, processes and technology. To this end, a study is made for each business or process, Risk Analysis, Business Impact Analysis, and Recovery Strategy. It runs a test and annual or biannual maintenance. The Disaster Recovery Plan is focused exclusively on Technology Infrastructure, which provides IT for critical processes that can operate in conditions of contingency.

This essay addresses the statement: “Contingency and Business Continuity Planning which is a very important aspect, not only for disaster recovery, but also for computer security. Moreover, it elaborates the key events that might lead to an IT-related disaster. Recommendations are presented for the curtailment of such disasters.

Business Continuity Plan

The loss of reputation and business interruption is the biggest risks for companies. Today, business continuity is not only associated with physical phenomena such as fire or technological failures, but extends to a strategic level in which the reputation and shareholder value are key component. Having a Business Continuity Plan allows companies to ensure business continuity to a crisis and increases the chances of survival for the company (www.Backinprint.com).

Stages of Crisis

Most crises do not happen suddenly. An extreme position can comprise of four distinct phases. The stages are portrayal urgent position stage, acute urgent position stage, chronic urgent position stage and extreme position tenacity stage.

Advantages

The Business Continuity Plan is a tool that can prevent or avoid the possible scenarios arising from a crisis situation and minimise the economic, reputational and civil liability. It also helps reduce the costs associated with the interruption or avoid contractual penalties for breach of contract as a supplier of goods or services (Sieber, 1986, ...