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Departmental disaster recovery planning

Disaster recovery planning involves the process, policies, and procedures that enable delivery of critical technical services to Indiana University in the event of natural or man-made disaster.

Disaster recovery (DR) is an integral part of the overall business continuity program . While business continuity is concerned with continuation of the business of the university, disaster recovery or information technology business continuity is focused on the continued operation and function of technology to support those business functions.

A disaster recovery program ensures the technology that supports the business of the university will continue to function after an event occurs. Which departments and offices should think about DR? Any that use any form of IT, including email, to conduct business.

The purpose of this document is to help departments form a disaster recovery plan. Many services hosted by university departments are key in conducting daily university business; as such, plans for these services to provide continued functionality in the event of disaster is paramount.

Developing your disaster recovery plan

We have provided a strategy template to use in developing your departmental disaster recovery plan. Prioritizing your services from most critical to least critical is key to developing a useful plan, which should c learly define the steps and equipment needed to bring these critical services back online.

These steps should include who to contact, where backup data is stored and where new equipment should be sourced from if replacement is required.

Storing your disaster recovery plan

Indiana University’s IU Ready service should be used for storing your DR plan and business continuity plan (BCP).

The IU Ready service, found on One.IU , helps university administration understand the resources and dependencies needed to help your department recover from a major disaster, and provides a centralized location for storing these documents in a secure off-site location.

Auditing your disaster recovery plan

Regulary auditing your DR plan to reflect changes in your services is important to ensure that those tasked with bringing these services back up are working with the correct information. Changes to services such as IP address, VLAN, Administrator access and firewall settings should be updated as soon as these changes are made to the system.

It is also important to audit access to the IU Ready plan and its documents to reflect changes in staffing, contact information, and administrative access. Outdated information in your DR plan could result in additional down time.

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  • How to Prepare and Implement a Disaster Recovery Plan

The value of a Disaster Recovery or Control Plan is the ability to react to a threat or event swiftly and efficiently. This can only be achieved when a department has informed staff, disaster supplies and planned procedures -- in short, a Disaster Recovery Plan.

What was discussed earlier about planning for disaster prevention applies equally to planning for disaster recovery. The planning is a senior management function and cannot succeed without top level support. Recognition of the need for such a plan must be present at an early stage, no matter who stimulates this awareness.

A written authorization statement makes management's support for the disaster planning process clear to all employees. The original mandate must spell out the plan's goals and objectives so that top management's expectations are met.

Proficiency

Records Management is just one of many resources available to the University. The key to having a comprehensive disaster prevention and recovery plan is to draw from all of these resources/plans.

One of the primary resources we have identified, not only from a records management perspective but also nationwide among large companies, is the opportunity to relocate backup information and systems that are vital to our University's success, survival and reputation. Because we are a four campus system, each campus can be a vital resource for each of the other campuses as a distant off-site storage location (90 to 128 miles apart) for backup of information systems. In the event of a wide-spread disaster such as a tornado or earthquake, UM's system of wide-spread campuses could serve as off-site backup facilities with very little cost to the system.

The Disaster Recovery Plan

The Disaster Recovery Plan should be prepared by the Disaster Recovery Committee, which should include representatives from all critical departments or areas of the department's functions. The committee should include at least one representative from management, computing, risk management, records management, security, and building maintenance. The actual size and composition of the committee will depend on the size, location, and structure of the individual department or facility. The committee needs to prepare a time line to establish a reasonable deadline for completing the written plan. This time line may take the form of a Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) chart or a decision.

Team Task Organization

The plan must spell out the titles and functions of each team member involved in the disaster recovery process. The individuals who will compose the team or teams should be identified by title or position and name. In a small facility or department with only a handful of employees, the entire staff may become the Disaster Recovery Team with one person designated to lead the recovery effort. The person named Recovery Director or Coordinator must be given the necessary authority to declare a disaster, and to act quickly and effectively during the salvage operation.

Information Distribution Procedures

The plan must include specific methods for contacting team members and alternates, vendors, support agencies, suppliers, consultants and all those with whom special disaster contracts and agreements are in effect.

Specific Disaster Reactions

The plan must provide for both major and minor disasters, and must address individual and community-wide natural disasters such as tornados and general flooding. Your plan should also define in terms of business interruption what constitutes a disaster; thus, authorizing the activation of the disaster recovery plan.

Training of Employees

The recovery plan must provide for initial and ongoing employee training. Skills are needed in the reconstruction and salvage phases of the recovery process. Your initial training can be accomplished through professional seminars, special in-house educational programs, the wise use of consultants and vendors, and individual study tailored to the needs of your department. A minimal amount of training is necessary to assist professional restorers/recovery contractors and others having little knowledge of your information, level of importance, or general operations.

Priorities for the Restoration of Essential Functions

Your disaster recovery plan must not only spell out which functions are vital, but also the order they are restored. This is especially critical in the vital, complex computing functions where accounts receivable, payroll, and accounts payable have fluctuating priorities throughout the month.

The plan should establish only general priorities. Leave individual decisions to managers who know which functions are critical at a specific period of the month or in a particular situation.

Contracts and Agreements with Disaster Support Agencies

Copies of contracts and agreements with all disaster support agencies and businesses including salvage and reconstruction consultants, available alternative sites, and vendors of other essential equipment and supplies must be included in the written plan; or otherwise arranged by UM Risk Management.

Agreements are a less formal means of providing emergency services particularly where goodwill is involved in promising help to charitable organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies. The Eastman Kodak Company is one large organization that has provided reprocessing services for water-damaged film to its customers for years through informal agreements.

A list of additional recovery resources should include:

  • Local fire department
  • Police department
  • Civil defense
  • Ambulance services
  • Paper supply vendors
  • Copy machine(s)
  • Office equipment
  • Computer equipment and supplies
  • Resources for freezer space/freezer trucks
  • Local volunteers or temporary help

The disaster recovery plan must specify by name, address, position, and phone number the various resources the disaster team will use.

A List of Disaster Salvage Equipment and Supplies

A list of the equipment and supplies gathered for the disaster salvage kit forms part of the disaster recovery plan. This list should indicate the available items and their location. Each department must decide what items should or should not be included on the supply list. Below are some items to consider:

  • Employee identification (arm bands, badges)
  • Blotting paper
  • Packaging tape
  • Freezer paper
  • Paper towels (not colored)
  • Plastic milk crates
  • First aid kit
  • Gloves - rubber
  • Flashlights/batteries
  • Pencils or pens
  • Soot sponges
  • Permanent markers
  • Heavy plastic sheeting
  • Unprinted newspaper
  • Camera and film
  • Radios/batteries

Purchase or Rent

  • Plastic trash cans (large and small)
  • Extension cords
  • Dehumidifiers
  • Plastic trash bags
  • Water movers (squeegees)
  • Hand trucks
  • Safety glasses
  • Fire extinguishers

Your disaster recovery supplies can be assembled within the department as part of disaster planning, or they can be purchased after a disaster from previously contracted suppliers. The latter approach is risky in a general disaster when such supplies are in great demand.

Blueprints and Floor Plans of Building

This information is essential during the preparation and salvage stages to locate utility connections, electrical switches, alarms, potentially dangerous floors or ceilings, hazardous materials, and access to damaged areas. Gas, water, and electricity must be turned off as soon as possible after a disaster. In situations with advance warning, utilities can be shut down in advance.

The first step in the recovery process is the restoration of climate controls. This is especially true if the damage is by water (wet documents). Wet paper, or most any other material, will develop mold within 48-to-72 hours in a warm and humid environment. An accurate picture of access routes, storage areas, and equipment locations allows the recovery team to quickly take control and assess the extent of the damage.

A disaster recovery plan maps out the process of resuming normal business operations, reconstructing or salvaging vital and other important records and equipment, and becomes a guide for all managers and employees during and after a disaster. The plan's key elements fall into three categories: those common to all sections of the plan; those pertaining mainly to the resumption of business operations; and those pertaining mainly to the reconstruction or salvage of vital University records.

Reviewed 2023-09-11

  • Guide for Developing a Disaster Plan
  • Vital Records Protection Program Guide
  • Additional Resources
  • What is a Record?
  • Appropriate Use
  • Creation Best Practices
  • Email Record Guidelines
  • Guidelines For Cleaning Out Your .PST and Your Mailbox
  • Managing Electronic Communications
  • Management Services
  • Introduction
  • Microfilm Vendors and Addresses
  • Requirements for both University Departments and Contractors
  • Estimating Microfilm Cost
  • Questions and Answers
  • Order Supplies
  • Records Management Training
  • Records Retention Authorizations
  • What Records to Send
  • Steps for Sending Records
  • Disposition of Records
  • Recalling Records from RM

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Get Informed

  • Know what disasters could affect your area, which could call for an evacuation and when to shelter in place.
  • Keep a NOAA Weather Radio tuned to your local emergency station and monitor TV, radio and follow mobile alert and mobile warnings about severe weather in your area.
  • Download the FEMA app  and get weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five different locations anywhere in the United States.

Make a Plan

In times of disasters, colleges and universities serve as key emergency management partners to federal, state, local, tribal, territory and private sector organizations. Institutions are encouraged to regularly review, update and exercise their emergency plans several times a year.

  • Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Institutions of Higher Education (PDF)
  • Individuals with Access and Functional Needs (Link)
  • Emergency plan guide for people with disabilities (PDF)

Student, Faculty and Staff Emergency Plans

  • Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC) (Link)
  • Immigration and Customs (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program Emergency Evacuation Tips (Link)
  • Access to Emergency Alerts for People with Disabilities (Link)

Campus All Hazards Guides to Preparedness

Disaster response and recovery.

  • Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide Mobile App (Link)
  • Department of Education Tips for Helping Students Recovering from Traumatic Events (Link)

Reporting Emergency Incidents

  • Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting (PDF)

Suggested emergency management courses for the campus community.

  • Emergency Planning for Higher Education Training (Link)
  • Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training Materials (Link)
  • FEMA Corps (Link)

Last Updated: 05/25/2022

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10 Steps for a Disaster Recovery Plan

Steps and tips for creating a disaster recovery plan.

Deaths from natural disasters have declined significantly over the past century, from more than 500,000 in 1920 to about 15,000 in 2020. Earlier prediction capabilities, more resilient infrastructure, and improved emergency preparedness and response systems have helped reduce the death toll and lower the economic impact of natural and human-made disasters. Still, implementing a comprehensive disaster recovery plan is key to preventing damage from future disasters and — most importantly — saving lives.

To learn more, check out the infographic below, created by Tulane University’s  Online Master of Public Health in Disaster Management  program.

Overview of Human-Made and Natural Disasters

Certain shock events, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, drastically pushed global annual disaster deaths over 200,000, accounting for more than 0.4 percent of deaths in those years. However, most natural disasters have an annual death toll of 60,000, or 0.1 percent of global deaths.

Types of Natural Disasters

Natural disasters may include earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, droughts, wildfires, storms, and flooding. Droughts and floods have historically been the most fatal natural disasters, but today, earthquakes are the deadliest type.

Impact of Natural Disasters

A natural disaster can have a devastating impact, often leading to death, injury, illness, destruction of property, financial loss, grief, shock, and mental illness such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Other possible effects include decreased GDP, reduced tax revenue, loss of infrastructure, and loss of local revenue. A community hit by a natural disaster may be at increased risk of developing and spreading communicable diseases, poisoning, and infection.

Types of Human-Made Disasters

Human-made disasters include nuclear meltdowns, underwater oil spills, chemical explosions, mine collapses, toxic waste spills or leaks, mud volcanoes, ocean pollution, and cyberattacks.

Between 1945 and 1962, the U.S. conducted nuclear testing that severely impacted the health of workers and Americans living in “downwind” areas. The estimated death toll is between 340,000 and 690,000.

In 1962, the Great Smog of London persisted for five days and halted air travel. In addition to an estimated death toll of 12,000, 150,000 people were hospitalized, and thousands of animals died.

The infamous Chernobyl explosion of 1986 killed 30 people within three months and impacted hundreds of thousands more in nearby cities.

Another human-made disaster that shook the world was the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. Eleven million gallons of oil spilled in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and killed an estimated 302 seals and 2,800 otters.

The 2013 Flint water crisis also took many lives. It increased caused exposure to lead and coliform bacteria, which caused up to 119 deaths from pneumonia.

Impact of Human-Made Disasters

Human-made disasters can lead to illnesses such as thyroid cancer, acute radiation, pneumonia, leukemia and other forms of cancer, and Legionnaires’ disease.

Individuals impacted by this type of disaster can also experience mercury poisoning, chronic health issues, decreased fertility rates, and birth defects.

Human-made disasters may cause homelessness, financial loss, the need to relocate, destruction of animal habitats, death of wildlife, mass poisoning from air pollution, and contaminated drinking water.

How to Create a Disaster Recovery Plan

A well-developed disaster recovery plan (DRP) could be the difference between minor losses and catastrophic damage. That’s why every business should invest time and resources into creating, testing, and adjusting its DRP.

10 Key Steps for Disaster Recovery Planning

The first step is to obtain preliminary input from experts and stakeholders, such as employees and vendors. Next, take inventory and assess disaster impact. Analyze each asset and service to see how long the business can run without suffering financial loss, negative impact on reputation, or regulatory penalties.

Then, identify recovery metrics and objectives to determine how quickly the business needs to recover. The next step is to conduct a risk assessment that identifies all possible risks and vulnerabilities.

Step five involves identifying the scope of the disaster recovery plan. Then, identify the best type of disaster recovery plan — whether that’s a data center DRP, virtualization-based DRP, cloud-based DRP, or disaster recovery as a service (DraaS).

Go on to create a disaster recovery playbook that includes important business information, such as employee names and contact information, the point of contact for disaster recovery, information packets, and vendor details.

Test the disaster recovery plan through one or more of the following options: a walk-through test, simulation test, parallel test, and full interruption test.

Make the necessary adjustments and create a communication plan. Be sure to conduct employee awareness training, too.

Tips for Disaster Recovery and Prevention

Though many disasters are unpredictable, every individual and business can take proactive steps to protect themselves and their property.

Tips for Disaster Recovery

Begin by checking for injuries and administering first aid. Contact the local emergency manager and prioritize the safety of family and loved ones. Use a battery-powered radio to obtain emergency updates.

Be careful when returning to a property. File an insurance claim as soon as you’re able and inform local authorities about health and safety concerns.

Tips for Preventing Cyberattacks

The first step to prevention is to stay aware of threats to cybersecurity; these include identity theft, phishing attacks, and imposter scams. Install security software on electronic devices and avoid opening suspicious emails or files.

Enable two-factor authentication and create strong, unique passwords.

Increase organizational vigilance and security, and be sure to update software and devices as soon as new updates are available.

Looking Ahead

Disasters range from floods and wildfires to cyberattacks. Developing a disaster recovery plan ahead of time will help reduce losses and speed up recovery, for both individuals and businesses.

ACL, “Tips to Recognize, Prevent, or Reduce Cyberattacks and Cybercrimes”   Business Insider, “9 Man-Made Disasters That Had a Big Impact on Our World”

FEMA, “Building a Culture of Cyber Preparedness”

Live Science, “10 of The World’s Biggest Man-made Disasters”

Our World in Data, “Natural Disasters”

Ready, “Recovering From Disaster”

Sciencing, “What Are the Negative Effects of Natural Disasters?”

Spiceworks, “10 Best Practices for Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP)”

Tulane University, “A Closer Look at the Long-Term Health Consequences of Natural Disasters”

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COMMENTS

  1. Disaster recovery planning

    Disaster recovery planning involves the process, policies, and procedures that enable delivery of critical technical services to Indiana University in the event of natural or man-made disaster. Disaster recovery (DR) is an integral part of the overall business continuity program.

  2. Comprehensive Emergency Response and Disaster Recovery Plan

    imminent events on campus or in the general community that may develop into a major University crisis or a full disaster. The Campus Emergency Response and Disaster Recovery Team will be activated. (Examples: Heating plant failure, extended power outage, severe storms, major fire, contagious disease outbreak, or domestic water contamination.)

  3. How to Prepare and Implement a Disaster Recovery Plan

    The value of a Disaster Recovery or Control Plan is the ability to react to a threat or event swiftly and efficiently. This can only be achieved when a department has informed staff, disaster supplies and planned procedures -- in short, a Disaster Recovery Plan.

  4. Ready Campus

    Make a Plan In times of disasters, colleges and universities serve as key emergency management partners to federal, state, local, tribal, territory and private sector organizations. Institutions are encouraged to regularly review, update and exercise their emergency plans several times a year.

  5. 10 Steps for a Disaster Recovery Plan

    10 Key Steps for Disaster Recovery Planning. The first step is to obtain preliminary input from experts and stakeholders, such as employees and vendors. Next, take inventory and assess disaster impact. Analyze each asset and service to see how long the business can run without suffering financial loss, negative impact on reputation, or ...