Reduce Costly Downtime Through DR Testing
Improve the accuracy of your DRP and your team’s ability to efficiently execute recovery procedures through regular DR testing.
RETIRED CONTENT
Please note that the content on this page is retired. This content is not maintained and may contain information or links that are out of date.Immature or nonexistent DR testing strategies cause:
- Unreliable DR capabilities that will likely fail during a real disaster.
- Inefficient transfer of testing value, resulting in wasted resources.
- Lack of engagement from test participants, resulting in ineffective tests.
A formalized DR testing strategy process results in:
- Minimized resource spend while maximizing test value.
- A reliable DR strategy that can be expected to function in a real disaster.
- Growth in the ability to prevent disasters from occurring.
- A competitive advantage by satisfying demands from both internal and external parties.
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Onsite Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn’t enough, we offer low-cost onsite delivery of our Project Workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a road map in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Determine Your DR Testing Readiness and Scope
The Purpose
- Identify current testing readiness based on current documentation and infrastructure, as well cross referencing against a list of necessary action items.
- Determine current DR proficiency and need for DR testing.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Define current testing preparedness and determine the scope of testing that your organization is currently capable of.
- Determine a high level testing strategy and outlook based on readiness, proficiency, and need.
| Activities: | Outputs: | |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Review current testing practices |
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| 1.2 | Assess current capabilities for all system tiers |
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| 1.3 | Assess current proficiency and need |
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| 1.4 | Discuss testing strategy |
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Module 2: Create a Project Charter to Build a Test Plan
The Purpose
- Identify roles and responsibilities for building the test plan.
- Define project parameters and milestones.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Create project clarity with a project charter that outlines the objectives, resource requirements, and target milestone dates.
| Activities: | Outputs: | |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Complete roles and responsibilities documentation |
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| 2.2 | Establish project parameters and milestones |
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Module 3: Create the DR Test Plan
The Purpose
- Plan and document the entire testing cycle.
- Create all the necessary documentation that is needed before testing can commence.
- Identify resource requirements to executive the DR test.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Identified which tests are included in the test cycle.
- Define the roles and responsibilities of each test participant for the test cycle.
- Create a repeatable process that can be leveraged on an ongoing basis for DR testing.
| Activities: | Outputs: | |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Complete the Test Plan Summary |
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| 3.2 | Construct the Passive Testing Handbook |
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| 3.3 | Construct the Active Testing Handbook |
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Module 4: Translate Lessons Learned Into Improving Overall Preparedness
The Purpose
- Demonstrate growth in DR capabilities through DR testing to the management team.
- Establish process for continual improvement of the DR process.
- Incorporate DR testing mindset into operational decision making.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Formulation of a clear connection between improved DR capabilities and confidence in recoverability.
- Consistently updated and validated DRP.
- Competitive advantage when attracting customers who demand an effective DRP.
| Activities: | Outputs: | |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Creation of the DR Test Plan Results Summary Presentation |
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| 4.2 | Review of current readiness |
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| 4.3 | Review of all test plans |
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