Network Disaster Recovery Planning
This playbook describes the steps required to develop a comprehensive disaster recovery plan aimed at sustaining network operations during and after unforeseen disasters.
Step 1: Risk Assessment
Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential threats to the network, their likelihood, and the potential impact of each.
Step 2: Business Impact
Perform a business impact analysis to determine how network outages may affect different parts of the organization.
Step 3: Recovery Objectives
Define Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) for all network services to establish the acceptable downtime and data loss for each.
Step 4: Backup Strategies
Develop backup strategies for network configuration, data, and system state information, ensuring backups are stored securely and off-site.
Step 5: Alternative Solutions
Identify alternative networking solutions, such as redundant connections, cloud services, or alternate sites, to maintain operations during an outage.
Step 6: Plan Development
Draft the disaster recovery plan, including procedures for notification, escalation, and recovery, ensuring responsibility is clearly assigned.
Step 7: Testing & Training
Regularly test the disaster recovery procedures to ensure effectiveness and train staff on their roles within the plan.
Step 8: Plan Maintenance
Periodically review and update the disaster recovery plan to incorporate changes in the network environment, business processes, and technological advancements.
General Notes
Plan Documentation
Maintain comprehensive documentation for the disaster recovery plan, including contact lists, vendor information, and network diagrams.
Compliance
Ensure the disaster recovery plan meets any governing regulatory or industry-specific compliance requirements.