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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.
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Contributors
- Bernard A. Jones, Manager Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery – HS&E Business Continuity, Novartis Business Services
- Robert Nardella, IT Service Management, Certified z/OS Mainframe Professional
- Larry Liss, Chief Technology Officer, Blank Rome LLP
- Paul Kirvan, FBCI, CISA, Independent IT Consultant/Auditor, Paul Kirvan Associates
- Steve Tower, Management Consultant, Steve Tower, Disaster Recovery Plans & Assessments
- Joe Starzyk, Senior Business Development Executive, IBM Global Services
- Thomas Bronack, Enterprise Resiliency and Corporate Certification Consultant, DCAG
- Paul S. Randal, CEO & Owner, SQLskills.com
Your Challenge
- Customers, regulators, as well as your executive team are demanding that you test your DRP, but resources are scarce.
- Most DR tests are focused solely on the technology and not the DR management process – which is where most plans fail.
- Over 60% of organizations that are testing do not document the results, so they fail to properly show evidence of testing and incorporate lessons learned into their DRP.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- Be proactive – plan an annual test cycle that enables you to identify and coordinate resources well in advance.
- Don’t focus on one test. Plan a series of tests from walkthroughs to functional tests to validate both the DR process and technical capabilities.
- If you treat DR testing as a pass/fail exercise, you aren’t meeting the end goal of improving your DRP. Focus on identifying gaps and risks before a real disaster hits.
Impact and Result
- Create an effective DR test plan by following a structured process to discover current capabilities and defining test procedures for the entire range of testing methodologies. This includes:
- Defining current readiness through a comprehensive action items list, proficiency assessment, and needs analysis.
- Creating comprehensive test documentation that will support the test facilitator through both passive and active testing.
- Implementing a thorough review program that will incorporate learning points from testing into everyday operations.
1. Determine DR testing readiness and scope
Establish the current testing maturity of the organization.
2. Create a project charter to build a test plan
Construct a project charter that guarantees executive buy-in for the project.
3. Create the DR test plan
Create the necessary documentation and tools needed before testing can commence.
4. Translate lessons learned into improving overall preparedness
Create a process for continuous improvement in DR capabilities and be ready for future disasters.
Guided Implementations
This guided implementation is a nine call advisory process.
Guided Implementation #1 - Determine your DR testing readiness and scope
Call #1 - DR testing overview, and identify current capabilities
Call #2 - Determine readiness for DR testing, and appropriate next steps
Guided Implementation #2 - Create a project charter to build a test plan
Call #1 - Identify and assign roles and responsibilities for building the test plan
Call #2 - Set expectations for objectives, resource requirements, and target milestone dates
Guided Implementation #3 - Create the DR test plan
Call #1 - Identify resource requirements to execute the DR test
Call #2 - Plan your passive testing exercises
Call #3 - Plan your active testing exercises
Guided Implementation #4 - Turn lessons learned into better preparedness
Call #1 - Define a process for incorporating lessons learned from testing
Call #2 - Create a DRP review, testing, and maintenance schedule
Book Your Workshop
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 roadmap 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
Review current testing practices
Assess current capabilities for all system tiers
Assess current proficiency and need
- Defined current testing capabilities and likelihood of success
Discuss testing strategy
- Analysis of best-fit testing strategy
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
Complete roles and responsibilities documentation
Establish project parameters and milestones
- Completed project charter with management sign-off
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
Complete the Test Plan Summary
- Complete test schedule and prioritized list of systems to include in testing
Construct the Passive Testing Handbook
- Established methodology for passive testing
Construct the Active Testing Handbook
- Established methodology for active testing
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
Creation of the DR Test Plan Results Summary Presentation
- Competed executive presentation deck
Review of current readiness
- Indication of capability growth
Review of all test plans
- Updated planning documentation
