Category: CBCP Business Continuity Blog

4 Critical Backup and Disaster Recovery Questions to Ask Your Managed Services Provider

On By Reid Renicker, CEM, CBCP, MBCIIn CBCP Business Continuity Blog, Disaster Recovery, Reid Renicker, Reid Renicker, CEM, CBCP Business Continuity BlogLeave a comment

By Gary Cox Your company depends on technology to power everything from building security to payroll. While you see excellent productivity gains from a technology-forward infrastructure, you are vulnerable to any situation that takes out your systems. A rogue ex-employee could delete essential databases, a flood could knock out electricity to your data centre and […]

via 4 Critical Backup and Disaster Recovery Questions to Ask Your Managed Services Provider — GCComp. Computer Repair & Maintenance

Advertisement

3 Tips To Help You Build A Firmer Resilience Strategy For Your Business — Just Web World

On By Reid Renicker, CEM, CBCP, MBCIIn CBCP Business Continuity Blog, Reid Renicker, Reid Renicker, CEM, CBCP Business Continuity BlogLeave a comment

Risk is more often than not the driving force behind uncertainty in any business. After all, businesses face all kinds of challenges. From cyber threats, right down to natural phenomenons. That is why it is so important to have an adaptable continuity plan as a business. After all, things happen. Certain projects may fall through. […]

via 3 Tips To Help You Build A Firmer Resilience Strategy For Your Business — Just Web World

WHY YOU NEED TO PLAN FOR POSSIBLE CRISES

On By Reid Renicker, CEM, CBCP, MBCIIn CBCP Business Continuity Blog, Reid Renicker, CEM, CBCP Business Continuity BlogLeave a comment

It’s essential to plan thoroughly to protect yourself from the impact of potential crises – from fire, flood or theft to IT system failure, restricted access to premises or illness of key staff.

This planning is very important for small businesses since they often lack the resources to cope easily in a crisis.

Failure to plan could be disastrous. At best you risk losing customers while you’re getting your business back on its feet. At worst your business may never recover and may ultimately cease trading.

As part of the planning process you should:

  • identify potential crises that might affect you
  • determine how you intend to minimise the risks of these disasters occurring
  • set out how you’ll react if a disaster occurs in a business continuity plan
  • test the plan regularly

For example, if you’re reliant on computer information, you should put a back-up system in place so you have a copy of key data in the event of a system failure.

Benefits of a business continuity plan

A carefully thought-out business continuity plan will make coping in a crisis easier and enable you to minimise disruption to the business and its customers.

It will also prove to customers, insurers and investors that your business is robust enough to cope with anything that might be thrown at you – possibly giving you the edge over your competitors.

CRISIS THAT COULD AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS

Depending on your business’ specific circumstances, there are many possible events that might constitute a crisis:

  • Natural disasters – for example, flooding caused by burst water pipes or heavy rain, or wind damage following storms.
  • Theft or vandalism – theft of computer equipment, for instance, could prove devastating. Similarly, vandalism of machinery or vehicles could not only be costly but also pose health and safety risks.
  • Fire – few other situations have such potential to physically destroy a business.
  • Power – loss of power could have serious consequences. What would you do if you couldn’t use IT or telecoms systems or operate other key machinery or equipment?
  • IT system failure – computer viruses, attacks by hackers or system failures could affect employees’ ability to work effectively.
  • Restricted access to premises – how would your business function if you couldn’t access your workplace – for example, due to a gas leak?
  • Loss or illness of key staff – if any of your staff is central to the running of your business, consider how you would cope if they were to leave or be incapacitated by illness.
  • Outbreak of disease or infection – depending on your type of business an outbreak of an infectious disease among your staff, in your premises or among livestock could present serious health and safety risks.
  • Terrorist attack – consider the risks to your employees and your business operations if there is a terrorist strike, either where your business is based or in locations to which you and your employees travel. Also consider whether an attack may have a longer-term effect on your particular market or sector.
  • Crisis affecting suppliers – how would you source alternative supplies?
  • Crisis affecting customers – will insurance or customer guarantees offset a client’s inability to take your goods or services?
  • Crisis affecting your business’ reputation – how would you cope, for example, in the event of a product recall?

Though some of these scenarios may seem unlikely, it’s prudent to give them consideration.

Superstorm Sandy and Business Continuity

On By Reid Renicker, CEM, CBCP, MBCIIn CBCP Business Continuity Blog, Reid Renicker, CEM, CBCP Business Continuity BlogLeave a comment

The Advisory Council

Originally posted November 2, 2012

We at TAC, with our own headquarters here in the Northeast US, hope that those affected by “Superstorm” Sandy are well and unhurt. While the damage to property is still being assessed, and cleanup is bound to take some time, one must be thankful that it wasn’t even worse. We hope that the journey back to “normal” is swift for you and yours.

This recent severe weather in the Northeast has knocked out significant infrastructure that enterprises rely on for the operation of their businesses. Sites hosted by some service providers disappeared from the internet; servers and data-centers that are still up and running have had their connections to the internet severed. Because of this, many companies have been affected, and even those that have not, are taking a long hard look at their business continuity and disaster recovery plans.

I spoke with a…

View original post 305 more words

Embedding Emergency Management to Business Continuity Programs

On By Reid Renicker, CEM, CBCP, MBCIIn CBCP Business Continuity Blog, CEM, Reid RenickerLeave a comment

Business ContinuManagement is a continuous management process which should be directed at the organization’s critical business processes with an aim to ensure the continuity of the business. With the characteristics of prevention, BCM limits the damages resulted from disruptive business events. BCM is a continuous management process which should be directed at the organization’s critical business processes with an aim to ensure the continuity of the business. With the characteristics of prevention, BCM limits the damages resulted from disruptive business events. The BCM definitions from the period 1995 to 2005 share the same management process which is “holistic”. And the aim is the same as well which is to prevent business disruptions and protect the organizations. However, the definitions are more detailed and include stakeholders, reputation, brand and value creating activities after 1995. From 2005, the definitions include the term “protective”.). The BCM definitions from the period 1995 to 2005 share the same management process which is “holistic”. And the aim is the same as well which is to prevent business disruptions and protect the organizations. However, the definitions are more detailed and include stakeholders, reputation, brand and value creating activities after 1995. From 2005, the definitions include the term “protective”.

Reid Renicker, CEM, CBCP, MBCI