The document outlines a high-level methodology for business continuity planning (BCP), emphasizing the importance of preparing for unexpected disruptions. It details the phases of BCP, including analysis, strategy development, planning, testing, and maintenance, highlighting the need for thoroughness and periodic review to ensure plans remain effective. It asserts that a well-tested and maintained plan can significantly aid in the recovery from disasters.

1. Elements of Business Continuity
A high level methodology
December 2009
Michael Wilkovesky
Business Continuity & Recovery Consulting
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2. Why plan? Nothing can go wrong, right?
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3. Daily operations
A disaster - An unexpected event that
cause a break in your businesses
normal operation
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4. BCP Planning Methodology
Analysis Strategy Planning Testing Maintenance
Phase Phase Phase Phase Phase
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5. Analysis Phase
This is the first phase of any Business Continuity
Plan.
If you do not know what you are vulnerable to and
what are critical activities to your business, how can
you develop plans that are cost effective and will
actually protect your business?
The parts of this phase are:
• Risk Analysis
• Business Impact Analysis or Critical Activities Requirements
• Technology Recovery Capabilities Assessment
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6. BCP Planning Methodology
Analysis Strategy Planning Testing Maintenance
Phase Phase Phase Phase Phase
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7. Strategy Phase
This phase of the program involves looking at the data
from the Analysis Phase and determining what strategy
or strategies will enable you to recover your business.
You need to look at the cost of each strategy to ensure
that the strategy not only meets your needs but is also
cost effective.
Types of recovery strategies to consider (this is not the complete list):
• Do nothing
• Hot site/cold site
• Build your own site
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8. BCP Planning Methodology
Analysis Strategy Planning Testing Maintenance
Phase Phase Phase Phase Phase
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9. Planning Phase
You know what you have to protect, you have your
strategy selected, now you need to build your
plans.
These plans are very detailed and include all of the
necessary steps that you, your business groups or
your technical staff need to recover your business.
Types of plans you will need to develop:
• Business unit/group plans
• Technology recovery plans
• Crisis Management Plans
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10. BCP Planning Methodology
Analysis Strategy Planning Testing Maintenance
Phase Phase Phase Phase Phase
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11. Testing Phase
Congratulations you have come a long way. You have
analyzed your business, you have selected a recovery
strategy and built your plans.
Your finished, right?
No. now you have to test your plans. An untested plan is
nothing more than a nice binder sitting on a shelf. It may
or may not protect your business.
Types of recovery tests:
• Active – for technology plans
• Passive/table top – for business and crisis plans
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12. BCP Planning Methodology
Analysis Strategy Planning Testing Maintenance
Phase Phase Phase Phase Phase
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13. Maintenance Phase
Like the Testing Phase, if you do not have a
Maintenance Phase, your plans may become outdated
very quickly.
You need to assign an owner of the plans and program
and make sure that the person has senior management
support.
Your maintenance schedule will depend on how
dynamic your company is.
What to include (this is not the complete list:
• Changes to technology, staff, suppliers and customers
• New business activities added
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14. Now you can congratulate yourself. You have a tested well maintained
plan. But you still have work to do.
Business Continuity is a program not a project. You will need to review the
complete cycle every 1 to 2 years.
Analysis Strategy Planning Testing Maintenance
Phase Phase Phase Phase Phase
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15. Recovery plans do help
your company to win
Your company
BCP
Disaster or
disruption
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16. Michael Wilkovesky
Business Continuity & Recovery Consulting
Telephone: 1-416-318-6222
Email: info@continuityrecovery.com
Website: http://www.continuityrecovery.com
Blog: http://continuityrecovery.wordpress.com
Linked In: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/continuityrecovery
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17. Disasters can happen at anytime
… is your company prepared?
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