Disaster Recovery Journal Winter 2023

and business continuity are built. Disaster preparedness is developing and imple menting different strategies and measures to ensure any organization’s resilience in the face of disasters. It includes natural disasters such as power outages, floods, cyberattacks, etc. Several key components factor into this: n Risk assessment. n Business impact analysis. n A well-designed business continuity and disaster recovery plan. n Employee training and awareness. n Regular testing and updating. The risk assessment identifies potential vulnerabilities which can interrupt day to-day business operations. This is why assessments should consider both exter nal and internal factors. The impact on a business can be very substantial, hurting the entire entity of the business structure. It also depends on how severe the threat is and if the business has a well-defined DR and BC plan adhering to the necessary steps to getting the company up and run ning again as quickly as possible is key. Doing regular testing and updates are crucial steps in disaster preparedness. Plans should be regularly tested through table-top exercises or drills and updated to reflect any changes in the business envi ronment. This is where employee train ing and awareness come into play. The businesses need the right alignment with vendors and providers to have a smooth restorative operation. When the different business impact analysis (BIA) variables within an organi zation are understood, plans can then be tailored to specific needs regarding disas ter preparedness. The four main key components to BIA include the following: n Critical functions: Knowing the core functions of a company’s operations when it comes to a natural disaster. These functions will have clients’ private data, financial records, etc. n Data assessment: Making sure the company’s different types of information such as intellectual property, company

secrets, and looking over what data is critical and sensitive. n Recovery time objectives (RTO): Setting realistic recovery time for each function and data type. n Resource dependencies: Knowing which resources are critical to restore in order to get the company or client back up and running as soon as possible. If this is not taken into account, there can be significant financial impact on the client or organization. When businesses have a well-orga nized business continuity and disaster recovery plan, it’s very important to have the right people involved in this particular service. These types of services should be practiced at least three times a year within a business. In this type of data-driven soci ety, data security is of the utmost impor tance for any type of company to ensure

disaster preparedness for any type of natu ral disaster. This ensures a company’s con tinuity, and it protects critical data from outside interferences. Taking these necessary steps and inte grating a thorough plan of continuity is vital to a business’s stability and overall success. The effects of a natural disaster can be minimized if it happens. Remember it’s not a matter of when a disaster hap pens, but it’s a question of when it will strike. Being prepared is the key to resil iency and recovering from the disaster. v

Ron Klink’s journey has been building for more than three decades in the IT indus try, reinforced by an abundance of industry experience. It has made him capable of delivering a deep understanding of different

IT challenges since the early 1990s. From starting out as an IT technician to being the CEO of an IT and telecom munication company, Klink’s experiences have given him a thorough understanding of the diverse challenges busi nesses encounter.

DISASTER RECOVERY JOURNAL | WINTER 2023 41