A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is a document that defines procedures to reduce downtime for a business-critical system or service.
Its goal is to ensure the continuity of key activities of a company and, consequently, mitigate the losses that would be caused by the interruption of its operations. The BCP is a plan of the responses the company will give to threats and risks that can compromise its business — unlike the Disaster Recovery Plan.
In today’s post, we will learn how to put the Business Continuity Plan into practice. Check it out!
Follow the BCP recommendations
When the Business Continuity Plan needs to be implemented, it means something is threatening the availability of a service essential to the company’s activities.
Often, IT’s first reaction to this type of event is disorientation. But if there is a well-defined BCP, it is very likely to contain an efficient recommendation.
It seems obvious, but often in the heat of a crisis, managers forget that this document exists — designed precisely to guide a rapid response to risks surrounding the operation. Therefore, follow the plan’s recommendations and put the team into action.
Be ready for unexpected threats
A well-written Business Continuity Plan attempts to identify and anticipate responses to major business threats. From an IT perspective, it is normal for this plan to cite risks such as connection drops, system overloads, and even natural disasters — fires, floods, electrical discharges, etc.
However, when putting the BCP into practice, the person responsible for it must be aware that not even the best possible planning will completely match reality.
A BCP can sometimes suggest an unfeasible response. If the company experienced a connection drop caused by a truck hitting a utility pole on the street, for example, using a secondary connection that shared the same structure for its network would not solve the problem.
But the fact that there are uncertainties like these — which go beyond planning — does not mean the BCP loses its value. On the contrary: by structuring the plan, it is possible (and recommended) to try to foresee as many setbacks as possible. Thus, the BCP remains important for guiding the reaction to materialized risks and can also serve as inspiration for other solutions.
Always consider contingency alternatives
It is in the nature of many IT managers to avoid temporary solutions and opt for what will be most stable and definitive. But when we talk about a crisis, it is necessary to consider alternatives that may not be as long-lasting — but that will maintain operational continuity until the final solution is found.
This will normally be presented as an option within the BCP itself. If a company suffers from a power outage, for example, it is expected to have UPS systems to prevent service interruption.
But this is a temporary solution: shortly, it will be necessary to activate generators to maintain the electrical power supply. And this measure remains palliative because, while the generators are running, the team must seek a way to restore normal supply.
And you, are you prepared to put your Business Continuity Plan into practice? Check out more tips on our blog on how to ensure a fast and efficient response in critical situations!
