Continuity Plans should ensure that critical services remain available to customers under adverse conditions. While the threats that cause disruptions may varyโnatural disasters, cyber breaches, supply chain failuresโthe goal of a Continuity Plan is not to control every threat, but rather to maintain or quickly restore critical services that can impact the organizationโs reputation.
๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ-๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต
The purpose of a Continuity Plan is to keep critical services running or restore them rapidly if they fail. Itโs not enough to just bring the IT system back online; the focus should be on ensuring that essential customer-facing services can still be delivered according to SLAs, or as close to them as possible.
๐ง๐ต๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐-๐๐ด๐ป๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ฒ๐
Although you consider various threats, plans should remain flexible and not hinge on a specific scenario. A Continuity Plan should enable the organization to respond effectively to any type of disruption. Build adaptable response strategies that can be applied to a wide range of incidents, rather than trying to address every possible threat individually.
๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐, ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐ฑ
Facilities, people, technology, data, and supplies are critical assets. The restoration of these assets should support the primary objective: continuing or resuming the delivery of essential services. Identify what is most critical to ensuring service continuity, and prioritize asset recovery accordingly.
๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐
By focusing on the continuity of critical services, Continuity Plans help minimize reputational damage, financial loss, and negative market impact. Maintaining customer trust and meeting SLA expectationsโeven during a crisisโis at the heart of a well-crafted plan.
๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐
Continuity Planners must understand how services, assets, and processes interact. Knowing these interdependencies allows for a more effective response. Thorough preparationโincluding testing, training, and coordinating with suppliersโensures smooth execution of the Continuity Plan when itโs needed.
๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Effective Continuity Plans include clear roles, responsibilities, and communication channels. This ensures that decision-making is swift, and that stakeholders remain informed as services are restored.
๐ฆ๐๐บ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐
Continuity Plans are fundamentally about maintaining critical services. While threats, assets, and impacts are important to consider, the focus is to safeguard the organizationโs ability to continue delivering on its commitments, protect its reputation, and preserve its long-term viability, no matter what disruptions arise.
