An IT Disaster Recovery Plan is a comprehensive documentation of well-planned actions that are to be adopted before, during, and after a catastrophic event. In order to ensure business continuity and availability of critical resources during disasters, the plan should be documented and also tested in advance. This will help expedite the process when the actual disaster or emergency strikes. The key to IT or network disaster recovery is preparedness. The DR plan is the master tool of IT-based as well as other organizations to protect their IT infrastructure, ascertain organizational stability, and systematic disaster recovery. The primary objectives of IT/network disaster recovery planning include:
- Minimizing disruption of business operations
- Minimizing risk of delays
- Ensuring a level of security
- Assuring reliable backup systems
- Aiding in restoration of operations with speed
Business vulnerabilities are ever increasing and every organization is compelled to make appropriate disaster recovery plans and use advanced technology to keep its network secure and stable. Network-reliant companies find it an absolute necessity to frame disaster recovery policies and procedures to respond to the varied circumstances and problems. In any organization that prepares itself for Disaster Recovery, the three main points to be considered are Prevention, Anticipation, and Mitigation. Prevention is the act of avoiding those disasters that can be prevented. Anticipation is to plan and develop adequate measures to counter unavoidable disasters. Mitigation is to effectively manage the disasters, and thereby minimize the negative impact.