A disaster recovery plan (DRP) is not judged by its thickness, but by its ability to get the IT system back up and running on the day everything stops. Here is how to build an arrangement that genuinely delivers on its promises.
Start with the impact analysis
The business impact analysis (BIA) identifies critical processes and the cost of an outage. It is what justifies the investment and sets priorities: not everything deserves the same level of protection.
Set the RTO and RPO
Two indicators shape everything: the RTO (the maximum acceptable downtime) and the RPO (the maximum tolerable data loss). A 4-hour RTO and a 15-minute RPO call for neither the same architecture nor the same budget as a 48-hour RTO.
Choose the right architecture
Depending on the objectives: immutable, off-site backups, replication to a recovery site, virtualisation with automated failover. The 3-2-1 rule (three copies, two media, one off-site) remains a sound foundation.
Write and test the procedures
An untested DRP is an imaginary DRP. Document the recovery procedures, appoint those responsible, then organise regular failover tests. Each test reveals a false assumption — and that is precisely its value.
Common mistakes
Forgetting dependencies (directory, DNS, licences), neglecting workstation recovery, never restoring a backup: so many classic pitfalls. A DRP lives, is maintained and is put to the test.
ZENISEC designs, documents and tests DRP/BCP arrangements calibrated to your real continuity requirements.
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