Disasters happen at any time, anywhere, on any scale. I know; I’ve helped evacuate a downtown Toronto, Ontario, office tower when a transformer in the basement caught on fire, and evacuated from my office in New York City when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. And I’m keeping watch for when people in my age and, or criticality can get their H1N1 vaccinations.

 

Therefore, you need to plan for how you are going to help prevent, keep operation going through, mitigate and recover from disasters of all kinds and keep those plans updated. And if you haven’t done so yet, or want to get some idea as to best practices, managed IP voice and data and security services provider MegaPath (News - Alert) has come out with its Business Continuity Planning Checklist. This document helps organizations of all sizes to prepare for disruptions in business operations including natural disasters, pandemics or outbreaks. 

Here is the MegaPath Checklist:

·         Designate a team

An effective BCP should involve input from management, the chief security officer, the IT department, Web developer and human resources. These key departments can ensure the company runs smoothly in times of crisis, while taking into account the needs of their employees.

·         Identify key personnel

Determine which executives and employees are critical to operating the business, and supporting customers, that need to have access to key systems and information at all time. A business continuity plan, or “BCP,” must ensure these employees receive the highest levels of support, even during the most disruptive events.

·         Plan for spikes

Before an emergency occurs, businesses need to plan ahead for increased network bandwidth and secured remote access requirements. Implementing scalable solutions will enable organizations to add increased user licenses to the virtual private network, or “VPN,” and Internet connections in real-time.

·         Choose a flexible secure communications solution

There are many to choose from, but a SSL VPN is one of the leading solutions to provide flexible, remote access, which is essential to any BCP. This technology enables access – via a Web browser – to sensitive corporate and customer data that exists on an enterprise network from remote locations. The SSL solution should be redundant and scalable to account for the increased spike in traffic, as well as integrated into the overall disaster recovery plan.

·         Create a single entry point

Create a business continuity portal for employees and partners. If the company has an Intranet, this site becomes command central from which employees can access information: HR policies, emergency contacts and a ‘click here to access SSL VPN’ feature. As this Intranet would become the main source of information, it is vital to ensure that it is fast and reliable for employees no matter where they are located.

·         Coordinate a secondary back-up site

Should the primary sites be unavailable, companies should have a real-time mirror of data housed at a secure facility. If configured correctly, organizations can provide automatic failovers between locations, so that any forwarding is seamless to employees as they conduct business with no impact to productivity.

·         Replicate non-real time data

In the event that the secondary site is unavailable, organizations should plan for multiple layers of failover. If users cannot access real-time data via the back-up location, a third-tier facility with updates, but not real time data, can provide most of the necessary tools to keep the business operational until the secondary facilities come back online.

·         Ensure access from any device

With mobile devices and air cards now permeating the executive suite and key employees, IT departments can leverage these tools to ensure complete connectivity in times of emergencies. However, organizations must first conduct a thorough review of remote access policies in order to protect the data these devices are accessing.

·         Pre-arrange “on-the-fly” meeting capabilities

In the event of an office closure, employees still need to communicate internally or with external parties, such as suppliers or customers. Providing Web and audio conferencing to remote locations and offsite workers keeps the communication lines open, especially with those unaffected by the office closure.

·         Review number of sites and VPN gateways

Businesses need to have multiple channels for employees to gain access in case of failover. Conducting a yearly audit will provide a complete picture of your network and the ability to address problem areas before a disaster strikes.

·         Test, test and retest

Typically, companies today test their disaster recovery facilities and remote access policies about once a year. These “fire drills” enable companies to see how the current system is working, especially when employees are accessing information from remote locations such as home, a relative’s house and a hotel.

Once complete, those in management, IT and HR can modify their BCP accordingly.

“Enterprises with multiple data centers have business continuity planning down to a science, and other businesses can learn a lot from them,” Janet Wong, senior product manager, MegaPath, said. “Having a plan that ensures business as usual in the wake of a natural or man made disaster will instill confidence among your customers and partners. While adjustments will be made to daily operations, it doesn’t mean that work comes to a full stop. With the right voice and data solutions in place, employees can still communicate internally or with external third parties.”