BCP documentation should also outline a formalized exercise program to ensure that the plan remains current. Exercises also verify that team members receive adequate training to perform their duties in the event of a disaster. The testing process is quite similar to that used for the disaster recovery plan, so we'll reserve the discussion of the specific test types for Chapter 18.
Summary
Every organization dependent on technological resources for its survival should have a comprehensive business continuity plan in place to ensure the sustained viability of the organization when emergencies take place. Several important concepts underlie solid business continuity planning practices, including project scope and planning, business impact analysis, continuity planning, and approval and implementation.
Every organization must have plans and procedures in place to help mitigate the effects a disaster has on continuing operations and to speed the return to normal operations. To determine the risks to your critical business functions that require mitigation, you must work with a cross-functional team to conduct a business impact analysis from both quantitative and qualitative points of view. You must take the appropriate steps in developing a continuity strategy for your organization and know what to do to weather future disasters.
Finally, you must create the documentation required to ensure the effective communication of your plan to present and future BCP team participants. Such documentation should include the continuity of operations plan (COOP). The business continuity plan must also contain statements of importance, priorities, organizational responsibility, and timing. Also, the documentation should include plans for risk assessment, acceptance, and mitigation; a vital records program; emergency-response guidelines; and procedures for maintenance and testing.
Chapter 18 will take this planning to the next step—developing and implementing a disaster recovery plan that includes the technical controls required to keep your business running in the face of a disaster.
Exam Essentials
Understand the four steps of the business continuity planning process. Business continuity planning involves four distinct phases: project scope and planning, business impact analysis, continuity planning, and approval and implementation. Each task contributes to the overall goal of ensuring that business operations continue uninterrupted in the face of an emergency.
Describe how to perform the business organization analysis. In the business organization analysis, the individuals responsible for leading the BCP process determine which departments and individuals have a stake in the business continuity plan. This analysis serves as the foundation for BCP team selection and, after validation by the BCP team, is used to guide the next stages of BCP development.
List the necessary members of the business continuity planning team. The BCP team should contain, at a minimum, representatives from each of the operational and support departments; technical experts from the IT department; physical and IT security personnel with BCP skills; legal representatives familiar with corporate legal, regulatory, and contractual responsibilities; and representatives from senior management. Additional team members depend on the structure and nature of the organization.
Know the legal and regulatory requirements that face business continuity planners. Business leaders must exercise due diligence to ensure that shareholders' interests are protected in the event disaster strikes. Some industries are also subject to federal, state, and local regulations that mandate specific BCP procedures. Many businesses also have contractual obligations to their clients that they must meet before, during, and after a disaster.
Explain the steps of the business impact analysis process. The five stages of the business impact analysis process are the identification of priorities, risk identification, likelihood assessment, impact analysis, and resource prioritization.
Describe the process used to develop a continuity strategy. During the strategy development phase, the BCP team determines which risks they will mitigate. In the provisions and processes phase, the team designs mechanisms and procedures that will mitigate identified risks. The plan must then be approved by senior management and implemented. Personnel must also receive training on their roles in the BCP process.
Explain the importance of comprehensively documenting an organization's business continuity plan. Committing the plan to writing provides the organization with a written record of the procedures to follow when disaster strikes. It prevents the “it's in my head” syndrome and ensures the orderly progress of events in an emergency.
Written Lab
1 Why is it essential to include legal representatives on your business continuity planning team?
2 What is wrong with taking an informal approach to business continuity planning?
3 What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative assessment?
4 What critical components should you include in your business continuity training plan?
5 What are the four main steps of the business continuity planning process?
Review Questions
1 James was recently asked by his organization's CIO to lead a core team of four experts through a business continuity planning process for his organization. What is the first step that this core team should undertake?BCP team selectionBusiness organization analysisResource requirements analysisLegal and regulatory assessment
2 Tracy is preparing for her organization's annual business continuity exercise and encounters resistance from some managers who don't see the exercise as important and feel that it is a waste of resources. She has already told the managers that it will only take half a day for their employees to participate. What argument could Tracy make to best address these concerns?The exercise is required by policy.The exercise is already scheduled and canceling it would be difficult.The exercise is crucial to ensuring that the organization is prepared for emergencies.The exercise will not be very time-consuming.
3 The board of directors of Clashmore Circuits conducts an annual review of the business continuity planning process to ensure that adequate measures are in place to minimize the effect of a disaster on the organization's continued viability. What obligation are they satisfying by this review?Corporate responsibilityDisaster requirementDue diligenceGoing concern responsibility
4 Darcy is leading the BCP effort for her organization and is currently in the project scope and planning phase. What should she expect will be the major resource consumed by the BCP process during this phase?HardwareSoftwareProcessing timePersonnel
5 Ryan is assisting with his organization's annual business impact analysis effort. He's been asked to assign quantitative values to assets as part of the priority identification exercise. What unit of measure should he use?MonetaryUtilityImportanceTime
6 Renee is reporting the results of her organization's BIA to senior leaders. They express frustration at all of the detail, and one of them says, “Look, we just need to know how much we should expect these risks to cost us each year.” What measure could Renee provide to best answer this question?AROSLEALEEF
7 Jake is conducting a business impact analysis for his organization. As part of the process, he asks leaders from different units to provide input on how long the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system could be
