Without routine testing and on-going maintenance, the Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Capability will quickly fall into disarray.  This training program will address techniques and methods testing your continuity capability and for maintaining your plan in the most efficient way possible. 

In this six module program, trainees will learn

·         How to develop testing objectives and strategies for obtaining valid test data

·         How to document tests, how to be good auditors/observers of testing regimes, and how to address adverse test results

·         How to work with auditors, consultants and vendors during testing and afterwards

·         How to determine whether testing suggests a need for plan modification, training, or rethinking a strategy in its entirety

·         Best practices for obtaining information about changes affecting the continuity capability and techniques for implementing plan changes

Managers and responsibles for the DR and BCP in the Organization.

MODULE 1:  Welcome and Introduction

The true purpose of DR/BCP is not the creation of a plan document, but rather a continuity capability.  Ongoing testing and maintenance are key to keeping the capability synchronized with the business and its technology infrastructure.  In this module, trainees will be introduced to testing and change management concepts and will share their own questions about testing and plan maintenance.

MODULE 2:  Testing to Objectives

Testing is not undertaken in a vacuum.  It is important to define exactly what will be tested, what resources each test will require and what standard or criteria will be used to evaluate results.  These Criteria Referenced Test Objectives (CRTOs) form the basis for a test plan which will be used to ensure that the data collected is of use in plan validation or modification.  Trainees will learn

·         Best practices in plan testing

·         Differences between live and simulated tests and the strengths and limitations of different approaches

·         Preparatory steps and objectives development

·         Who should attend a test and their roles

·         What to document during a test

MODULE 3:  Test Evaluation

There are no failures in testing, except those that result from improper planning.  In general, testing can reveal gaps in strategy, in documentation, or in training. This module will examine techniques for evaluating test results and for determining the appropriate response required.  Specifically, trainees will learn

·         How to review testing documentation

·         How to leverage auditors and consultants during tests and in post-test evaluations

·         How to separate test outcomes from external factors (vendor errors, etc.)

·         How to categorize results and responses

·         How and when to re-test

·         How to contextualize test outcomes for management and other interested parties

MODULE 4: Managing Change

In this session, trainees will discuss business and technological changes that can mandate plan revision.  An overview will be provided of a plan maintenance strategy that can be adapted to meet the requirements of the trainee’s organization.  Specifically, trainees will learn

·         The impact of changes in lines of business

·         The impact of changes in technology infrastructure

·         Immediate actions to take in the case of user dismissal

·         Requirements for maintaining trained teams for plan implementation

·         The impact of changes in DR/BCP vendors, logistical supply chains, or other plan-related components

·         The need for an organized, analytical methodology for addressing change in plans, for re-training, and for re-testing

MODULE 5:  Setting Up a Change Management System

Applying the high level strategy reviewed in the previous module, trainees will walk through several examples of change management systems ranging from manual labor intensive to highly automated.  Trainees will learn

·         What functional groups of the organization must be involved in plan maintenance

·         What inputs need to be collected and how they are obtained

·         How to account for the impact of changes to the operations infrastructure on the continuity capability

·         How to manage the vendors who provide services for continuity capabilities

·         How to leverage web technology and content management to build a plan maintenance system

·         How to deal with secure, privileged or confidential information

·         How to document changes to satisfy auditors

MODULE 6:  Conclusion and Q&A

The course concludes with an interactive question and answer period designed to help trainees relate what they have learned to their corporate environments.  Sample policies will be introduced that the trainee, as a planner, can propose for adoption by their senior business management in order to garner support for and cooperation with an on-going program of testing and change management.  Following the discussion, we will recap key points and reinforce training objectives.