ISO/IEC â Information technology â Security techniques â Guidelines for information and communications technology readiness for business continuity Introduction. ISO/IEC 27031 provides guidance on the concepts and principles behind the role of information and communications technology (ICT) in ensuring business continuity. Disaster Recovery. Disaster recovery is an organization's response strategy to a natural or manmade disaster. In many cases, the impact of a crisis situation, such as a massive earthquake, a category 5 cyclone or a terrorist operation of devastating proportions - are unavoidable owing to.
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Disaster Recovery involves a set of policies, tools and procedures to enable the recovery or continuation of vital technology infrastructure and systems following a natural or human-induceddisaster. Disaster recovery focuses on the IT or technology systems supporting critical business functions,[1] as opposed to business continuity, which involves keeping all essential aspects of a business functioning despite significant disruptive events. Disaster recovery can therefore be considered as a subset of business continuity.[2][3]
IT Service Continuity[edit]
IT Service Continuity[4][5] (ITSC) is a subset of Business Continuity Planning (BCP)[6] and encompasses IT disaster recovery planning and wider IT resilience planning. It also incorporates those elements of IT infrastructure and services which relate to communications such as (voice) telephony and data communications.
The ITSC Plan reflects Recovery Point Objective (RPO - recent transactions) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO - time intervals).
Principles of Backup sites[edit]
Planning includes arranging for backup sites, be they hot, warm, cold or standby sites with hardware as needed for continuity.
In 2008 the British Standards Institution launched a specific standard connected and supporting the Business Continuity Standard BS 25999 titled BS25777 specifically to align computer continuity with business continuity. This was withdrawn following the publication in March 2011 of ISO/IEC 27031 - Security techniques â Guidelines for information and communication technology readiness for business continuity.
ITIL has defined some of these terms.[7]
Recovery Time Objective[edit]
The Recovery Time Objective (RTO)[8][9] is the targeted duration of time and a service level within which a business process must be restored after a disaster (or disruption) in order to avoid unacceptable consequences associated with a break in business continuity.[10]
Schematic representation of the terms RPO and RTO. In this example, the agreed values of RPO and RTO are not fulfilled.
In accepted business continuity planning methodology, the RTO is established during the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) by the owner of a process, including identifying options time frames for alternate or manual workarounds.
In a good deal of the literature on this subject, RTO is spoken of as a complement of Recovery Point Objective (RPO), with the two metrics describing the limits of acceptable or 'tolerable' ITSC performance in terms of time lost (RTO) from normal business process functioning, and in terms of data lost or not backed up during that period of time (RPO) respectively.[10][11]
Recovery Time Actual[edit]
A Forbes overview[8] noted that it is Recovery Time Actual (RTA) which is 'the critical metric for business continuity and disaster recovery.'
RTA is established during exercises or actual events. The business continuity group times rehearsals (or actuals) and makes needed refinements.[8][12]
Recovery Point Objective[edit]
A Recovery Point Objective (RPO) is defined by business continuity planning. It is the maximum targeted period in which data (transactions) might be lost from an IT service due to a major incident.[10]
If RPO is measured in minutes (or even a few hours), then in practice, off-site mirrored backups must be continuously maintained; a daily off-site backup on tape will not suffice.[13]
Relationship to Recovery Time Objective[edit]
Recovery that is not instantaneous will restore data/transactions over a period of time; the goal is to do so without incurring significant risks or significant losses.[10]
RPO measures the maximum time period in which recent data might have been permanently lost in the event of a major incident; it is not a direct measure of the quantity of such loss. For instance if the BC plan is 'restore up to last available backup', the RPO is the maximum interval between such backup that has been safely vaulted offsite.
Business impact analysis is used to determine RPO for each service; RPO is not determined by the existent backup regime. When any level of preparation of off-site data is required, the period during which data might be lost often starts near the time of the beginning of the work to prepare backups, not the time the backups are taken off-site.[11]
Data synchronization points[edit]
Although a data synchronization point[14] is a point in time, the timing for performing the physical backup must be included. One approach used is to halt processing of an update queue, while a disk-to-disk copy is made. The backup[15] reflects the earlier time of that copy operation, not when the data is copied to tape or transmitted elsewhere.
How RTO and RPO values affect computer system design[edit]
RTO and the RPO must be balanced, taking business risk into account, along with all the other major system design criteria.[16]
RPO is tied to the times backups are sent offsite. Offsiting via synchronous copies to an offsite mirror allows for most unforeseen difficulty. Use of physical transportation for tapes (or other transportable media) comfortably covers some backup needs at a relatively low cost. Recovery can be enacted at a predetermined site. Shared offsite space and hardware completes the package needed.[17]
For high volumes of high value transaction data, the hardware can be split across two or more sites; splitting across geographic areas adds resiliency.
History[edit]
Planning for disaster recovery and information technology (IT) developed in the mid- to late 1970s as computer center managers began to recognize the dependence of their organizations on their computer systems.
At that time, most systems were batch-oriented mainframes. Another offsite mainframe could be loaded from backup tapes pending recovery of the primary site; downtime was relatively less critical.
The disaster recovery industry[18][19] developed to provide backup computer centers. One of the earliest such centers was located in Sri Lanka (Sungard Availability Services, 1978).[20][21]
During the 1980s and 90s, as internal corporate timesharing, online data entry and real-time processing grew, more availability of IT systems was needed.
Regulatory agencies became involved even before the rapid growth of the Internet during the 2000s; objectives of 2, 3, 4 or 5 nines (99.999%) were often mandated, and high-availability solutions for hot-site facilities were sought.[citation needed]
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IT Service Continuity is essential for many organizations in the implementation of Business Continuity Management (BCM) and Information Security Management (ICM) and as part of the implementation and operationinformation security management as well as business continuity management as specified in ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO 22301 respectively. How to lock folders in windows 10.
The rise of cloud computing since 2010 continues that trend: nowadays, it matters even less where computing services are physically served, just so long as the network itself is sufficiently reliable (a separate issue, and less of a concern since modern networks are highly resilient by design). 'Recovery as a Service' (RaaS) is one of the security features or benefits of cloud computing being promoted by the Cloud Security Alliance.[22]
Classification of disasters[edit]
Disasters can be the result of three broad categories of threats and hazards. The first category is natural hazards that include acts of nature such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and epidemics. The second category is technological hazards that include accidents or the failures of systems and structures such as pipeline explosions, transportation accidents, utility disruptions, dam failures, and accidental hazardous material releases. The third category is human-caused threats that include intentional acts such as active assailant attacks, chemical or biological attacks, cyber attacks against data or infrastructure, and sabotage. Preparedness measures for all categories and types of disasters fall into the five mission areas of prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.[23]
Importance of disaster recovery planning[edit]
Recent research supports the idea that implementing a more holistic pre-disaster planning approach is more cost-effective in the long run. Every $1 spent on hazard mitigation(such as a disaster recovery plan) saves society $4 in response and recovery costs.[24]
2015 disaster recovery statistics suggest that downtime lasting for one hour can cost
As IT systems have become increasingly critical to the smooth operation of a company, and arguably the economy as a whole, the importance of ensuring the continued operation of those systems, and their rapid recovery, has increased. For example, of companies that had a major loss of business data, 43% never reopen and 29% close within two years. As a result, preparation for continuation or recovery of systems needs to be taken very seriously. This involves a significant investment of time and money with the aim of ensuring minimal losses in the event of a disruptive event.[26]
Control measures[edit]
Control measures are steps or mechanisms that can reduce or eliminate various threats for organizations. Different types of measures can be included in disaster recovery plan (DRP).
Disaster recovery planning is a subset of a larger process known as business continuity planning and includes planning for resumption of applications, data, hardware, electronic communications (such as networking) and other IT infrastructure. A business continuity plan (BCP) includes planning for non-IT related aspects such as key personnel, facilities, crisis communication and reputation protection, and should refer to the disaster recovery plan (DRP) for IT related infrastructure recovery / continuity.
IT disaster recovery control measures can be classified into the following three types:
Good disaster recovery plan measures dictate that these three types of controls be documented and exercised regularly using so-called 'DR tests'.
Strategies[edit]
Prior to selecting a disaster recovery strategy, a disaster recovery planner first refers to their organization's business continuity plan which should indicate the key metrics of Recovery Point Objective and Recovery Time Objective.[27] Metrics for business processes are then mapped to their systems and infrastructure.[28]
Failure to properly plan can extend the disaster's impact.[29] Once metrics have been mapped, the organization reviews the IT budget; RTO and RPO metrics must fit with the available budget. A cost-benefit analysis often dictates which disaster recovery measures are implemented.
Adding cloud-based backup to the benefits of local and offsite tape archiving, the New York Times wrote, 'adds a layer of data protection.'[30]
Common strategies for data protection include:
Iso Disaster Recovery Plan Template
In many cases, an organization may elect to use an outsourced disaster recovery provider to provide a stand-by site and systems rather than using their own remote facilities, increasingly via cloud computing.
In addition to preparing for the need to recover systems, organizations also implement precautionary measures with the objective of preventing a disaster in the first place. These may include:
Vendors[edit]
Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) is an arrangement with a third party.[32]
Although vendor lists have been published, disaster recovery is not a product, even though several large hardware vendors have developed mobile/modular offerings that can be installed and made operational in very short time.
A modular data center connected to the power grid at a utility substation
See also[edit]References[edit]
Further reading[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Disaster_recovery&oldid=916353024'
(Redirected from Disaster recovery plan)
Disaster Recovery Tier Standards
Given organizations' increasing dependency on information technology to run their operations, Business continuity planning covers the entire organization, and Disaster recovery focuses on IT.
Auditing of documents covering an organization's business continuity and disaster recovery plans provides a third-party validation to stakeholders that the documentation is complete and does not contain material misrepresentations.
Lack of completeness can result in overlooking secondary effects, such as when vastly increased work-at-home overloads incoming recovery site telecommunications capacity, and the bi-weekly payroll that was not critical within the first 48 hours is now causing perceived problems in ever recovering, complicated by governmental and possibly union reaction.[1]
Overview[edit]
Often used together, the terms Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery are very different. Business Continuity refers to the ability of a business to continue critical functions and business processes after the occurrence of a disaster, whereas Disaster Recovery refers specifically to the Information Technology (IT) and.[4] The disaster could be natural, environmental or man-made. Man-made disasters could be intentional (for example, an act of a terrorist) or unintentional (that is, accidental, such as the breakage of a man-made dam).
Types of plans[edit]
Although there is no one-size-fits-all plan,[5] there are three basic strategies:[3][5]
Iso Disaster Recovery Plan
The latter may include securing proper insurance policies, and holding a 'lessons learned' brainstorming session.[3][7]
Relationship to the Business Continuity Plan[edit]
The Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is a comprehensive organizational plan that includes the disaster recovery plan, and it consists of five component plans:[8]
The first three (Business Resumption, Occupant Emergency, and Continuity of Operations Plans) do not deal with the IT infrastructure. The Incident Management Plan (IMP) does deal with the IT infrastructure, but since it establishes structure and procedures to address cyber attacks against an organizationâs IT systems, it generally does not represent an agent for activating the Disaster Recovery Plan, leaving The Disaster Recovery Plan as the only BCP component of interest to IT.[8]
Benefits[edit]
Like every insurance plan, there are benefits that can be obtained from proper planning, including:[4]
Planning and testing methodology[edit]Disaster Recovery Plan Iso Standards
According to Geoffrey H. Wold of the Disaster Recovery Journal, the entire process involved in developing a Disaster Recovery Plan consists of 10 steps:[4]
Initial testing can be plan is done in sections and after normal business hours to minimize disruptions.Subsequent tests occur during normal business hours.
Types of tests include: checklist tests, simulation tests, parallel tests, and full interruption tests.
Caveats/controversies[edit]
Due to high cost, various plans are not without critics. Dell has identified five 'common mistakes' organizations often make related to BCP/DR planning:[9]
What Is A Disaster Recovery PlanDecisions and Strategies[edit]
Other considerations[edit]Insurance issues[edit]
The auditor determines the adequacy of the company's insurance coverage (particularly property and casualty insurance) through a review of the company's insurance policies and other research. Among the items that the auditor needs to verify are: the scope of the policy (including any stated exclusions), that the amount of coverage is sufficient to cover the organizationâs needs, and that the policy is current and in force. The auditor also ascertains, through a review of the ratings assigned by independent rating agencies, that the insurance company or companies providing the coverage have the financial viability to cover the losses in the event of a disaster.
Effective DR plans take into account the extent of a company's responsibilities to other entities and its ability to fulfill those commitments despite a major disaster. A good DR audit will include a review of existing MOA and contracts to ensure that the organization's legal liability for lack of performance in the event of disaster or any other unusual circumstance is minimized. Agreements pertaining to establishing support and assisting with recovery for the entity are also outlined. Techniques used for evaluating this area include an examination of the reasonableness of the plan, a determination of whether or not the plan takes all factors into account, and a verification of the contracts and agreements reasonableness through documentation and outside research.
Communication issues[edit]
The auditor must verify that planning ensures that both management and the recovery team have effective communication hardware, contact information for both internal communication and external issues, such as business partners and key customers.
Audit techniques include
Emergency procedures[edit]
Procedures to sustain staff during a round-the clock disaster recovery effort are included in any good disaster recovery plan. Procedures for the stocking of food and water, capabilities of administering CPR/first aid, and dealing with family emergencies are clearly written and tested. This can generally be accomplished by the company through good training programs and a clear definition of job responsibilities. A review of the readiness capacity of a plan often includes tasks such as inquires of personnel, direct physical observation, and examination of training records and any certifications.
Environmental issues[edit]
The auditor must review procedures that take into account the possibility of power failures or other situations that are of a non-IT nature.
See also[edit]References[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Disaster_recovery_and_business_continuity_auditing&oldid=916353030'
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