What is a DRP and how to design one?
Disruptions to critical business services due to incidents can lead to financial losses and damage an organization’s reputation. This has made it common practice to have one or more DRPs in place. But what is a DRP? In this article, we define a DRP and outline the five key points for structuring one.
What is a DRP?
A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is a structured document outlining the steps and actions an organization must take to resume operations after a major incident. Natural disasters, significant disruptions to communication channels, social or political events, and cyber or physical attacks on facilities are examples of incidents that necessitate the use of a DRP.
What should a DRP include?
Creating a DRP should be preceded by a thorough risk analysis and a Business Impact Analysis (BIA).
This allows for setting the recovery objectives of the DRP, including the scope of functions or services to be restored, expected response times, and communication strategies.
A DRP should include at least the following five key points:
- Scope of the plan
- Roles and responsibilities table
- Recovery objectives
- Recovery procedures
- Testing intervals and procedures
1. Scope of the plan
Clearly define which functions or services need to be restored. The scope can range from basic to comprehensive, depending on the organization’s needs and objectives.
2. Roles and responsabilities table
Define who is responsible for initiating and triggering the DRP, as well as ensuring that the plan’s execution meets its objectives. Additionally, specify the key individuals and roles that must authorize or carry out the activities.
3. Recovery objectives
Determine the time within which the service or operation must be restored, along with the service levels regarding capacity, security, availability, and continuity.
4. Recovery procedures
All activities to be performed are detailed as procedures for restoring services, including the role or individual responsible for executing and validating each activity.
5. Testing intervals and procedures
The DRP is tested at regular intervals to ensure that all involved parties understand their responsibilities and can carry them out successfully. Additionally, these tests help verify if the plan is realistic, well-designed, current, and if any improvements are needed.
The greater the frequency and quality of the tests, the higher the likelihood of the DRP’s success in a real situation.
Other Considerations
- Regular activities necessary for enabling the DRP, such as data backups or maintaining an alternate site.
- The budget required or approved for both preparation activities and the execution of tests and the plan when needed.
- Proper communication of the plan to involved individuals and service users.
