keys to implementing a BCP and DRP (Business Continuity Plan – Disaster Recovery Plan)

In recent times, organizations have become increasingly concerned about incidents that could jeopardize their business. Events as shocking as attacks, large-scale cyberattacks or pandemics are no longer considered implausible scenarios, opening the way for new strategies and business models.

In the field of Business Continuity, we can define these contingency scenarios as events that could lead to a prolonged interruption of activities, creating a situation of loss of business, emergency and/or crisis. To mitigate these risks, it is essential to implement a series of coordinated processes and procedures that allow the delivery of products and services while safeguarding the integrity of the organization. We are referring to the Business Continuity Plans and Procedures (BCP and DRP).

There are several plans and documents that guide organizations in front of contingency scenarios; in prioritizing, communication and acting to face these events, where it is preferable to have a previously defined action strategy than to resort to improvisation.

The Business Continuity Plan (BCP)BCP is a set of plans and procedures that allow an organization to resume its critical activities after a disruptive incident. This plan covers all key business areas and is activated in response to situations that could interrupt operations, such as a breakdown in a critical production line or a threat to data security. A good BCP provides guidance for coordinated action across all areas of the organization, minimizing losses and ensuring rapid recovery.

Example of BCP:

As an example, in the face of a severe breakdown in a critical production line in our facilities, it may be necessary to activate our BCP, initiating a series of processes, actions and communications that allow us to return to activity in the shortest possible time.

The Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is a key piece in business continuity, specifically focused on the recovery of information systems and technological infrastructure. This plan allows organizations to quickly restore their technological operations after an incident, minimizing the impact of the interruption on critical processes.

An effective Disaster Recovery Plan covers everything from restoring servers and databases to reactivating essential applications and technological platforms that support the company’s daily operations. The key points of a DRP include:

• Data backup: Ensuring that all critical data is backed up and can be restored quickly.
• System Recovery: Detail the steps required to restart servers, restore applications and services.
• Post-recovery assessment: Review the impact of the incident and evaluate the effectiveness of the DRP for future improvements.

Example of DRP:

In the event of a cyberattack affecting critical servers, a DRP can guide the necessary actions to recover the infrastructure, restore backups, and ensure that digital operations return to normal functioning.

Although both seek to mitigate the impact of incidents, the BCP covers all critical business operations, while the DRP focuses solely on the recovery of technological infrastructures. It is important to highlight that both should be complementary to ensure an effective response to any contingency.

For example, in the event of a failure in critical software, the DRP would be activated to restore the technological infrastructure, but the BCP would not necessarily be activated if the incident does not affect general operations.

Depending on breakdown severity and nature of incident, it may be necessary to activate other specific plans, such as those mentioned below.

• Business Continuity Specific Plans:with these plans, we refer to actions aimed at recovering one or several activities, depending on specific contingency scenario.

Following with previous example, in the face of a failure in our production line, we can activate a specific plan previously conceived, which guides us in resumption of production. Some questions that this plan could contain are:

1. Criteria for use of a safety stock: if estimated resolution time may endanger delivery to client in time and form or even to cause legal or contractual breaches.
2. Alternative production method: use of secondary line, temporary outsourcing, etc.
3. 3. Contact with personnel and maintenance suppliers.
4. Information reporting requirements: to periodically scale status of contingency and actions, update resolution time estimate, etc.
5. Activation of other plans, procedures and convening of decision-making committees

The Crisis Management Plan establishes how a crisis will be activated, the organizational structures that must be put in place, and how information will be escalated. It is crucial that, upon detecting an incident, this plan is activated to ensure quick and effective decision-making.

Communication Plans are essential to ensure that both internal and external stakeholders are properly informed during a crisis. These plans should include key messages for employees, customers, partners, and media.

After managing a contingency, Return to Normality Plans allow the organization to recover its usual level of activity. A good example is the phased de-escalation that many organizations have followed after the COVID-19 pandemic, adjusting their operations as restrictions were lifted.

Emergency Plans are procedures that are activated in case of risk to people or key assets, such as infrastructures. These plans should include detailed steps for safe evacuations and minimizing the impact on people and property.

It is important to note that not all plans need to be activated at the same time, and activation will depend on the type and magnitude of the event.

Is your organization prepared to face a crisis? At GlobalSuite Solutions, we offer you a comprehensive solution for managing and recovering your critical operations. Our specialized software in business continuity and disaster recovery (BCP and DRP) is designed in accordance with the ISO 22301 standard, ensuring that your company is ready for any contingency. Centralize all your plans, automate your BIA updates, and monitor the status of your continuity in real-time.
Request a demo and discover how we can help you avoid improvising when you need it most.