Trainee interaction will provide a springboard for identifying the various elements of the planning process including how to build a business case for DR/BCP, how to collect information about business processes, applications and data, quantitative risk analysis, selection of internal and external resources for plan participation, relationship with external service providers, crisis management theories, recruitment of recovery team personnel and their training. A methodology and useful forms developed by Toigo Partners International and used in it’s own DR planning activities will be provided during the course.

This training program will take the student through the four basic steps of the implementation of an effective DR Plan:

- Preliminary Analysis

- Preventing Disasters

- Recovery Strategies and Logistics

MODULE 1:  Welcome and Introduction

In this module, we will provide an overview of the DR/BCP process.  We will discuss how business processes have become dependent upon information technology and examine the business case for DR/BCP in detail.

MODULE 2: Preliminary Elements of the Plan Process

The initial activities involved in planning are project initiation, data collection, and risk analysis.  This module will discuss these activities in considerable detail. Trainees will learn:

·                      Important steps for setting the stage for effective planning by establishing standards, obtaining management support, consulting with experts, and coordinating a data collection procedure that will provide a model of the business itself.

·                      How to use a set of data collection forms developed and used by Toigo Partners International in its DR planning activities. 

·                      How to perform a quantitative risk analysis to weigh and measure exposures to unplanned business interruptions and to determine the appropriate budget for undertaking the construction and maintenance of a recovery capability.

MODULE 3:  Preventing Disaster

This module covers activities undertaken to prevent avoidable disasters.  Trainees will learn:

·                      About a multi-tier strategy for disaster prevention

·                      Systems and technologies for facility level disaster detection, annunciation, and suppression

·                      The importance of systems, network, storage and security management technology within the context of DR/BCP

·                      The importance of data protection and methods for protecting data from loss or corruption.

MODULE 4:  Developing Coping Strategies

Much of the work of continuity planning involves the creation of strategies and logistics for restoring the connections between end users and the data required to support mission-critical business processes.  This module will discuss typical strategies for :

·                      End user recovery

·                      Systems, networks and storage infrastructure recovery

·                      How to select a DR site

·                      Emergency management: command, control and communications 

MODULE 5:  Implementing the Recovery Capability

A recovery capability is created by implementing the strategies worked out in the previous modules.  This involves documentation and training of the people involved in the recovery process. In this module, trainees will learn:

·                      How to document recovery procedures for ease-of-use and maintenance

·                      How to distribute and maintain up to date documentation 

·                      How to recruit and train persons who will be assigned to recovery teams

We will preview testing and change management method and techniques.

MODULE 6:  Conclusion

In this module, we will tie together the key points from previous sessions and provide guidelines for integrating a continuity of operations mindset in application development and system design processes, which is ultimately where DR/BCP needs to reside.  A Question and Answer period will be provided to assist trainees in applying what they have learned to their own business situations.