Malware attacks. Floods. Phishing emails. Power outages. There’s a lot of ways your IT infrastructure can be threatened, and you need to be prepared to respond and recover at a moment’s notice. Continuity planning can help you put the proper practices in place to keep your business up and running.
If this is your first time working on a continuity plan for IT systems, or if you’re just getting ready for another round of revisions, these tips will help you prepare your organization for everything from session hijacking to fires.
Don’t Delay! Why You Should Give Your Continuity Plan Attention Now
Cyber attacks occur about once every 39 seconds, which means you can’t afford to lose time preparing your IT systems. If you don’t have a business continuity plan in place yet, don’t panic—it’s never too late to get started—but don’t hesitate either. Your data and systems need protection so your business can stay open after a disaster.
Even once your IT continuity plan is in place, it needs consistent maintenance and attention in order to remain effective. If you haven’t tested or updated it in a while, now’s a great time to take another look and make sure you’re ready for unexpected events.
Best Practices for Creating an Effective Plan
Whether you’re undergoing continuity planning for the first time or just doing a refresh, these tips will help you plan effectively.
Start With Assessments and Analyses
In order to know what kind of protection you need, it’s important to get the lay of the land. Run risk assessments to identify the greatest threats to your company so you can make specific defense plans. Similarly, regular audits like gap analyses will help you understand particular aspects of your systems that need to be strengthened or given extra protection.
Implement Backup Strategies
Data backup and recovery strategies are a key part of continuity planning for IT systems. Consult with your IT company to develop the right solution for your data and current storage setup. Consider implementing a mix of on-site and off-site backups, and establish a clear recovery time objective (RTO) to help you restore data quickly and minimize potential downtime.
Plan Communications
Identify channels and methods of communication that you’ll use in the event of a disaster to keep necessary parties informed. Here’s some questions to consider:
- How will team members communicate with each other during different kinds of disasters?
- How will employees know when and if it’s safe to return to a physical work location or continue accessing remote systems?
- How and when will we inform employees, stockholders, clients, and the public about a breach or other incident?
Clearly Outline Responsibilities
Organization is key to responding effectively to a disaster. Each person in your company should have a clear role to play, and each key step of recovery should be assigned to someone. Be detailed in your delegations and provide explicit instructions about business continuity for IT systems.
Test and Update Regularly
To maintain effective continuity for your IT systems in the face of evolving threats and changes within your company, regular drills and updates are essential. These tests will help you identify weak points or hiccups in the plan and make adjustments. Team members will also have a chance to practice performing their roles and solidify their understanding of the plan.
Keep Team Members Informed
Make sure all staff members are aware of which tasks they’re responsible for in the event of a disaster and of any changes made to systems or the continuity plan. Testing will be the biggest tool for keeping your team informed, but be sure to take advantage of other methods like newsletters or special trainings at the beginning of meetings.
Recruit Expert Help
Building and maintaining effective continuity plans for IT systems is a big job. Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone.
When you partner with a reliable IT firm, experts can bring valuable insights and technical skills that they can use to personalize your continuity plan and provide protection against the most current and common threats. You’ll also have access to more tools, including realistic testing scenarios and consistent plan and system updates.
Face Incidents With Confidence With Realized Solutions
Your company’s data and IT systems are some of your most important resources, and Realized Solutions is here to help you keep them safe.
When you choose us, you can expect high-quality, comprehensive solutions for continuity planning for your IT systems. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that your data and technology are safe and that you can open again soon after a cyber attack or natural disaster. Ready to make or update your plan? Just send us a message.
