Category: Business Continuity

> Archive by Category "Business Continuity"
October 6, 2015 |
by eBRP Thoughts
Oct 6, 2015

The Myth of Outsourcing BCM

Outsourcing (paying another company to do some portion of work your own company doesn’t want to, or can’t do itself) can be a tricky proposition.  It may make sense when another company already has expertise, experience and capacity to perform tasks you need to add or expand.  It may also…
By eBRP Thoughts
October 1, 2015 |
by Jim Mitchell
Oct 1, 2015

Don’t Test BC Plans – Exercise Them!

For all our supposed ‘maturity’, the Business Continuity industry can’t agree on some of the simplest things – like terminology.  When it comes to proving the worth of BC and ITDR plans, getting the terminology right should be easy.  Do you test – or do you exercise? There’s a simple…
By Jim Mitchell
September 29, 2015 |
by eBRP Thoughts
Sep 29, 2015

Resiliency and the New Normal

The term “Resiliency” has become commonplace in discussions about Business Continuity Management (BCM).  Resiliency is often portrayed as the goal of BCM.  But Resiliency is usually ill-defined.  It means one thing to the CIO, but may mean something quite different to the CRO. If Resiliency is the “new normal” (as…
By eBRP Thoughts
September 24, 2015 |
by Jim Mitchell
Sep 24, 2015

If Not BIA Survey, What? (Part 2)

Part 1 of this article suggested that today’s BIA Survey is overused, over-stuffed, over-valued and usually overwhelming.  Instead, the article advocated a solid starting point, narrowed objectives and easily quantifiable goals. The survey itself is a process fraught with problems.  An earlier blog dealt with many of those problems (subjectivity,…
By Jim Mitchell
September 22, 2015 |
by eBRP Thoughts
Sep 22, 2015

The Myth of Resources Required Over Time

In many organizations, buried somewhere in their Business Impact Analysis (BIA), is a form asking participants to designate what Resources (computers, phones, printers – even desks and chairs) they will require if their normal business operations are disrupted. That sounds like a reasonable request.  For years the concept of Resources-over-Time…
By eBRP Thoughts
September 17, 2015 |
by Jim Mitchell
Sep 17, 2015

If Not a BIA Survey, What? (Part 1)

Some time ago eBRP posted a blog article I chose to call “The BIA Survey: an Effort in Futility” I’ve been asked why I haven’t published a follow-up article (as the original implied).  It’s less lack of inertia and more a wish to avoid controversy.  Not everyone agreed with my…
By Jim Mitchell
September 15, 2015 |
by eBRP Thoughts
Sep 15, 2015

The Myth of Departmental Continuity Plans

Since the early days of Business Continuity Planning, many organizations have chosen to focus efforts on “Worst Case” and “Hole-in-the-ground” scenario planning, and Departmental Continuity Plans.  The value of Departmental Continuity Plans is a myth. Planning for an artificial, organizational construct ‘the Department’ shifts emphasis from the real reason BCM…
By eBRP Thoughts
September 10, 2015 |
by Jim Mitchell
Sep 10, 2015

5 Reasons BCM programs Fall short, Flounder or Fail

After more than 20-some years of analysis and observation of BCM programs, patterns have emerged.  Some programs have been very successful, while some never quite achieved much – and others withered away.  From those observations, here are 5 common, very simple reasons why too many BCM programs fail to prosper. …
By Jim Mitchell
September 8, 2015 |
by eBRP Thoughts
Sep 8, 2015

The Myth of Moving to the Cloud

This is the 2nd in a series of articles examining the “myths” of today’s Business Continuity Management industry. The emergence of “Cloud” technologies in the past decade has created both benefits and risks.  Whether simply backing critical data up in the cloud, moving applications there, or implementing a full-fledged DRaaS…
By eBRP Thoughts
September 3, 2015 |
by Jim Mitchell
Sep 3, 2015

Will your Business Continuity Plan Serve Your Recovery Horizon?

Assumptions can be the downfall of even the best Business Continuity Plan (we’ve addressed that issue in an early blog).  Sometimes it’s not the overt assumptions we make (“All critical IT systems will be available within 4 hours of the disruption.“) but the ones we don’t realize we’ve made that may jeopardize our…
By Jim Mitchell