Disaster Recovery
Provides procedures for restoring technology systems and data after a catastrophic event or major system failure.
Workflow Stages
Disaster Declaration
Assess the situation, declare a disaster, and activate the recovery team.
Inputs
- Incident reports
- System status assessment
- Disaster declaration criteria
Outputs
- Disaster officially declared
- Recovery team activated
- Stakeholder notification sent
Damage Assessment
Evaluate the extent of damage to systems, data, and infrastructure.
Inputs
- System status information
- Backup status and integrity reports
- Infrastructure assessment
Outputs
- Damage assessment report
- Recovery priority list
- Estimated recovery timeline
Decision Points
- • Are backups intact and usable?
- • Is the primary site recoverable or must failover be used?
System Recovery
Execute recovery procedures to restore critical systems in priority order.
Inputs
- Recovery priority list
- Backup data and recovery media
- Recovery procedures documentation
Outputs
- Systems restored in priority order
- Recovery progress log
- Functionality verification for each system
Data Validation
Verify the integrity and completeness of recovered data across all restored systems.
Inputs
- Restored system access
- Data integrity check procedures
- Pre-disaster data metrics
Outputs
- Data validation report
- Data loss quantification if any
- Data reconciliation actions identified
Operations Restoration
Restore full business operations, reconnect users, and confirm all services are functioning.
Inputs
- Validated system status
- User access requirements
- Service checklist
Outputs
- All services operational
- Users reconnected and confirmed
- Normal operations declared
Post-Recovery Review
Document the recovery effort, assess what worked and what did not, and update the plan.
Inputs
- Recovery timeline and notes
- Team debriefing input
- Post-recovery assessment template
Outputs
- Post-recovery report
- Updated disaster recovery plan
- Improvement actions assigned
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the primary data center is destroyed?
The disaster recovery plan includes provisions for failover to a secondary site or cloud-based recovery environment, with procedures and access pre-configured.
How often are backups tested?
Backup integrity is tested monthly with a full recovery test of critical systems performed quarterly to ensure backups can be reliably restored.
What is the target recovery time for critical systems?
Critical systems have a target recovery time objective defined in the disaster recovery plan, typically ranging from 1 to 4 hours depending on the system classification.
Ready to implement this workflow in your business?
Our team can implement this workflow into your business operations with custom tools and training.