In a disaster, costs escalate rapidly and the goal of a DR plan is to recover as quickly as possible to minimize the business impact. However, DR plans that have not been tested cannot be trusted to function during a real disaster. To validate the effectiveness of the disaster recovery process, organizations need to implement a regular strategic DR testing cycle.
Follow the steps in this blueprint to implement the following best practices:
- Assess your current testing capabilities and establish the appropriate testing scope.
- Construct all necessary planning documentation up front to maximize efficiencies in the testing cycle and ensure that risks are minimized during testing.
- Establish a thorough learning process, so that knowledge from testing is transferred and gaps are closed before a real disaster strikes.
Successful DR testing depends on establishing a proper methodology that focuses on improving the overall DR preparedness of your organization.