Create a Right-Sized Disaster Recovery Plan
Close the gap between your DR capabilities and service continuity requirements.
The Situation
- Any time a natural disaster or major IT outage occurs, it increases executive awareness and internal pressure to create a disaster recovery plan (DRP).
- Traditional DRP templates are onerous and result in a lengthy, dense plan that might satisfy auditors but will not be effective in a crisis.
- The myth that a DRP is only for major disasters leaves organizations vulnerable to more common incidents.
- The growing use of outsourced infrastructure services has increased reliance on vendors to meet recovery timeline objectives.
- Define appropriate objectives for service downtime and data loss based on business impact.
- Document an incident response plan that captures all of the steps from event detection to data center recovery.
- Create a DR roadmap to close gaps between current DR capabilities and recovery objectives.
Blueprint Contents
-
Create a Right-Sized Disaster Recovery Plan – Phases 1-4
-
Case Study Overview: Practical, Right-Sized DRP
-
DRP Case Study Documents
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DRP Maturity Scorecard
-
DRP Project Charter Template
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DRP Business Impact Analysis Tool
-
Legacy DRP Business Impact Analysis Tool
-
DRP BIA Scoring Context Example
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DRP Recovery Workflow Template (PDF)
-
DRP Recovery Workflow Template (Visio)
-
DRP Roadmap Tool
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DRP Recap and Results Template
-
DRP Workbook
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DRP Incident Response Management Tool
-
DRP Vendor Evaluation Questionnaire
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DRP Vendor Evaluation Tool
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Severity Definitions and Escalation Rules Template
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BCP-DRP Fitness Assessment
Member Testimonials
After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.
9.5/10
Overall Impact
$50,053
Average $ Saved
36
Average Days Saved
| Client | University of North Texas System |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | N/A |
| Days Saved | 120 |
| Testimonial |
Dave was extremely knowledgeable and was able to quickly understand our existing program, point out the priorities and areas to improve, and provid...
Dave was extremely knowledgeable and was able to quickly understand our existing program, point out the priorities and areas to improve, and provide us a maturity roadmap that will push our Disaster Recovery Program from a very low maturity rate into a full blown mature program in a very short period of time. He was also helpful in teaching the process to our stakeholders and ensuring that our Disaster Recovery Primary Personnel understood what needed to be done. I am extremely grateful to the time Dave put into ensuring we were on the right path.
|
| Client | City of Newark |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $2,720 |
| Days Saved | 5 |
| Testimonial |
| Client | Jefferson County - Texas |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $34,000 |
| Days Saved | 80 |
| Testimonial |
The highlight of the session was seeing how effectively Paul collaborated with our entire team, especially considering that many were brought in wi...
The highlight of the session was seeing how effectively Paul collaborated with our entire team, especially considering that many were brought in with little context. Our communication was strong, and we successfully identified everything needed to move forward with developing our Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP). The only downside was that the session lasted just one week, and we didn’t leave with a finalized DRP in hand. However, since that wasn’t the intended outcome of this phase, it was expected.
|
| Client | Louisiana State University |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | N/A |
| Days Saved | 10 |
| Testimonial |
Ben was very knowledgeable and was able to speak about some personal experiences working in DR that were very helpful.
Ben was very knowledgeable and was able to speak about some personal experiences working in DR that were very helpful.
|
| Client | AgWest Farm Credit, FLCA |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 9/10 |
| $ Saved | $34,000 |
| Days Saved | 10 |
| Testimonial |
Frank is a true pro - his insight, guidance and friendly nature make it a pleasure to work with him.
Frank is a true pro - his insight, guidance and friendly nature make it a pleasure to work with him.
|
| Client | Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $34,000 |
| Days Saved | 110 |
| Testimonial |
| Client | California Department Of Technology |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $136K |
| Days Saved | 120 |
| Testimonial |
Sumit Chowdhury was an excellent facilitator, he asked probing questions, encouraged discussion, and identified gaps our team didn't. The workbook ...
Sumit Chowdhury was an excellent facilitator, he asked probing questions, encouraged discussion, and identified gaps our team didn't. The workbook the team worked to fill out during the workshop is truly invaluable for our technology recovery and business continuity planning and documentation.
I'm unable to estimate the true financial impact, because that isn't my area, but it's been priceless to me, but the work completed saved a year's worth of time at a minimum.
|
| Client | ONE Health Information Technology Services |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $50,000 |
| Days Saved | 10 |
| Testimonial |
Excellent facilitator. Lots of time spent on any area of focus required. Realistic examples of using the tools.
Four days was very hard to dedi...
Excellent facilitator. Lots of time spent on any area of focus required. Realistic examples of using the tools.
Four days was very hard to dedicate but well worth it.
|
| Client | New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $68,000 |
| Days Saved | 35 |
| Testimonial |
No worst part. All of it was very good, especially the discussions that Venkat facilitated.
No worst part. All of it was very good, especially the discussions that Venkat facilitated.
|
| Client | Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $68,000 |
| Days Saved | 120 |
| Testimonial |
Our assigned Analyst Theo Antoniadis is a subject matter expert in the data realm and disaster recovery scene. His expertise added extra value to t...
Our assigned Analyst Theo Antoniadis is a subject matter expert in the data realm and disaster recovery scene. His expertise added extra value to the engagement/workshop regarding Disaster Recovery. He was very professional, pleasant and easy going and provided us with valuable insights in a simplified way. There was no bad experience.
|
| Client | Liquid Environmental Solutions |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 9/10 |
| $ Saved | N/A |
| Days Saved | 10 |
| Testimonial |
The approach was very organized, and the consultant did a great job explaining expectations and relating to real life scenarios. The templates were...
The approach was very organized, and the consultant did a great job explaining expectations and relating to real life scenarios. The templates were very clear and usable. Not a 'pretty' powerpoint, but documented in a way that can be leveraged easily.
The focused approach was necessary for us to knock this out. Revising our DR plan has been on the to-do list for a year and little to no progress made due to day to day distractions. This brought the team together and we were able to get 80% of the way there in just 4 days.
I cannot think of anything that I would change about the workshop. I did debate between having the team in a room together versus each at their workstations, but being at our individual workstations worked well. Everyone stayed engaged with the help of Sumit's facilitation.
|
| Client | The Corporation of the City of Windsor |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 9/10 |
| $ Saved | $10,000 |
| Days Saved | 10 |
| Testimonial |
going through an example to illustrate the workflow.
would have liked to dig deeper into the framework
going through an example to illustrate the workflow.
would have liked to dig deeper into the framework
|
| Client | City of Lynnwood |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $6,800 |
| Days Saved | 32 |
| Testimonial |
| Client | City of Fairfax |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 8/10 |
| $ Saved | N/A |
| Days Saved | 10 |
| Testimonial |
| Client | Clayton County School District |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $34,000 |
| Days Saved | 10 |
| Testimonial |
| Client | Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $2,720 |
| Days Saved | 110 |
| Testimonial |
The templates and guidelines are very helpful in working on the DRP. Tried to do it using google in the past and not much progress. Darin has hel...
The templates and guidelines are very helpful in working on the DRP. Tried to do it using google in the past and not much progress. Darin has helped explain some key aspects of the templates.
|
| Client | Seplat Energy Plc |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $122K |
| Days Saved | 60 |
| Testimonial |
The best part is getting good advice on how best to proceed. Worse part was not meeting as often as we should have due to scheduling conflicts at m...
The best part is getting good advice on how best to proceed. Worse part was not meeting as often as we should have due to scheduling conflicts at my end most times.
|
| Client | Niobec Inc |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $5,000 |
| Days Saved | 5 |
| Testimonial |
| Client | City Of Fredericksburg |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 9/10 |
| $ Saved | $68,000 |
| Days Saved | 32 |
| Testimonial |
One of the best parts was getting our stakeholders involved in the process. Sumit's technical expertise and experience working through DR plannin...
One of the best parts was getting our stakeholders involved in the process. Sumit's technical expertise and experience working through DR planning was invaluable in the development of our plan. One of the best and worst parts was doing it in 4 days, but putting our heads down and staying focused and getting it done.
|
| Client | University of the Fraser Valley |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 7/10 |
| $ Saved | $1,900 |
| Days Saved | 5 |
| Testimonial |
| Client | Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $136K |
| Days Saved | 90 |
| Testimonial |
Darin was excellent - a true professional and voice of reason and reality. He helped my team stay on track and deliver a solid DR capability for o...
Darin was excellent - a true professional and voice of reason and reality. He helped my team stay on track and deliver a solid DR capability for our company.
|
| Client | Stream Realty Partners, L.P. |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 8/10 |
| $ Saved | $34,000 |
| Days Saved | 5 |
| Testimonial |
| Client | Evommune, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 9/10 |
| $ Saved | $6,800 |
| Days Saved | 18 |
| Testimonial |
| Client | Texas Trust Credit Union |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $31,960 |
| Days Saved | 20 |
| Testimonial |
I really appreciate Scott’s experience and expertise on this subject. He made it clear and easy to understand.
I really appreciate Scott’s experience and expertise on this subject. He made it clear and easy to understand.
|
| Client | City of Palm Beach Gardens, FL |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $34,000 |
| Days Saved | 20 |
| Testimonial |
Time consuming for a large portion of staff however will pay off with saving time for all employees in the event of a disaster.
Time consuming for a large portion of staff however will pay off with saving time for all employees in the event of a disaster.
|
| Client | National Arts Centre Canada |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $50,000 |
| Days Saved | 20 |
| Testimonial |
Working with Frank was wonderful, he was knowledgeable, patient and really took his time to walk us through the fundamentals without judgement. It ...
Working with Frank was wonderful, he was knowledgeable, patient and really took his time to walk us through the fundamentals without judgement. It was a great experience overall and we will really use the resources and information to improve our organization.
|
| Client | State of New Mexico Early Childhood & Care Department |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 9/10 |
| $ Saved | $13,600 |
| Days Saved | 20 |
| Testimonial |
Organization of materials that can be tailored to organization size and maturity and can be approached iteratively. Great callouts differentiating...
Organization of materials that can be tailored to organization size and maturity and can be approached iteratively. Great callouts differentiating roles of organization versus IT and differentiating BCP & DR & crisis management.
|
| Client | County of Stafford |
|---|---|
| Experience | Workshop |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | $136K |
| Days Saved | 90 |
| Testimonial |
Our workshop facilitator, Venkat, was extremely knowledgeable! He added significant value to our discussions and provided us with great recommendat...
Our workshop facilitator, Venkat, was extremely knowledgeable! He added significant value to our discussions and provided us with great recommendations. Venkat's thought-provoking discussions really helped our team think through scenarios with an open mind and not overlook things. Venkat is a precious resource to the InfoTech team!
|
| Client | Eastern Michigan University |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 10/10 |
| $ Saved | N/A |
| Days Saved | N/A |
| Testimonial |
Our consultant was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable.
Our consultant was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable.
|
| Client | Stream Realty Partners, L.P. |
|---|---|
| Experience | Guided Implementation |
| Impact | 9/10 |
| $ Saved | $34,000 |
| Days Saved | 10 |
| Testimonial |
| Client | Experience | Impact | $ Saved | Days Saved | Testimonial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Texas System | Workshop | 10/10 | N/A | 120 |
Dave was extremely knowledgeable and was able to quickly understand our existing program, point out the priorities and areas to improve, and provid...
Dave was extremely knowledgeable and was able to quickly understand our existing program, point out the priorities and areas to improve, and provide us a maturity roadmap that will push our Disaster Recovery Program from a very low maturity rate into a full blown mature program in a very short period of time. He was also helpful in teaching the process to our stakeholders and ensuring that our Disaster Recovery Primary Personnel understood what needed to be done. I am extremely grateful to the time Dave put into ensuring we were on the right path.
|
| City of Newark | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | $2,720 | 5 | |
| Jefferson County - Texas | Workshop | 10/10 | $34,000 | 80 |
The highlight of the session was seeing how effectively Paul collaborated with our entire team, especially considering that many were brought in wi...
The highlight of the session was seeing how effectively Paul collaborated with our entire team, especially considering that many were brought in with little context. Our communication was strong, and we successfully identified everything needed to move forward with developing our Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP). The only downside was that the session lasted just one week, and we didn’t leave with a finalized DRP in hand. However, since that wasn’t the intended outcome of this phase, it was expected.
|
| Louisiana State University | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | N/A | 10 |
Ben was very knowledgeable and was able to speak about some personal experiences working in DR that were very helpful.
Ben was very knowledgeable and was able to speak about some personal experiences working in DR that were very helpful.
|
| AgWest Farm Credit, FLCA | Guided Implementation | 9/10 | $34,000 | 10 |
Frank is a true pro - his insight, guidance and friendly nature make it a pleasure to work with him.
Frank is a true pro - his insight, guidance and friendly nature make it a pleasure to work with him.
|
| Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | $34,000 | 110 | |
| California Department Of Technology | Workshop | 10/10 | $136K | 120 |
Sumit Chowdhury was an excellent facilitator, he asked probing questions, encouraged discussion, and identified gaps our team didn't. The workbook ...
Sumit Chowdhury was an excellent facilitator, he asked probing questions, encouraged discussion, and identified gaps our team didn't. The workbook the team worked to fill out during the workshop is truly invaluable for our technology recovery and business continuity planning and documentation.
I'm unable to estimate the true financial impact, because that isn't my area, but it's been priceless to me, but the work completed saved a year's worth of time at a minimum.
|
| ONE Health Information Technology Services | Workshop | 10/10 | $50,000 | 10 |
Excellent facilitator. Lots of time spent on any area of focus required. Realistic examples of using the tools.
Four days was very hard to dedi...
Excellent facilitator. Lots of time spent on any area of focus required. Realistic examples of using the tools.
Four days was very hard to dedicate but well worth it.
|
| New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State | Workshop | 10/10 | $68,000 | 35 |
No worst part. All of it was very good, especially the discussions that Venkat facilitated.
No worst part. All of it was very good, especially the discussions that Venkat facilitated.
|
| Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | $68,000 | 120 |
Our assigned Analyst Theo Antoniadis is a subject matter expert in the data realm and disaster recovery scene. His expertise added extra value to t...
Our assigned Analyst Theo Antoniadis is a subject matter expert in the data realm and disaster recovery scene. His expertise added extra value to the engagement/workshop regarding Disaster Recovery. He was very professional, pleasant and easy going and provided us with valuable insights in a simplified way. There was no bad experience.
|
| Liquid Environmental Solutions | Workshop | 9/10 | N/A | 10 |
The approach was very organized, and the consultant did a great job explaining expectations and relating to real life scenarios. The templates were...
The approach was very organized, and the consultant did a great job explaining expectations and relating to real life scenarios. The templates were very clear and usable. Not a 'pretty' powerpoint, but documented in a way that can be leveraged easily.
The focused approach was necessary for us to knock this out. Revising our DR plan has been on the to-do list for a year and little to no progress made due to day to day distractions. This brought the team together and we were able to get 80% of the way there in just 4 days.
I cannot think of anything that I would change about the workshop. I did debate between having the team in a room together versus each at their workstations, but being at our individual workstations worked well. Everyone stayed engaged with the help of Sumit's facilitation.
|
| The Corporation of the City of Windsor | Workshop | 9/10 | $10,000 | 10 |
going through an example to illustrate the workflow.
would have liked to dig deeper into the framework
going through an example to illustrate the workflow.
would have liked to dig deeper into the framework
|
| City of Lynnwood | Workshop | 10/10 | $6,800 | 32 | |
| City of Fairfax | Workshop | 8/10 | N/A | 10 | |
| Clayton County School District | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | $34,000 | 10 | |
| Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | $2,720 | 110 |
The templates and guidelines are very helpful in working on the DRP. Tried to do it using google in the past and not much progress. Darin has hel...
The templates and guidelines are very helpful in working on the DRP. Tried to do it using google in the past and not much progress. Darin has helped explain some key aspects of the templates.
|
| Seplat Energy Plc | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | $122K | 60 |
The best part is getting good advice on how best to proceed. Worse part was not meeting as often as we should have due to scheduling conflicts at m...
The best part is getting good advice on how best to proceed. Worse part was not meeting as often as we should have due to scheduling conflicts at my end most times.
|
| Niobec Inc | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | $5,000 | 5 | |
| City Of Fredericksburg | Workshop | 9/10 | $68,000 | 32 |
One of the best parts was getting our stakeholders involved in the process. Sumit's technical expertise and experience working through DR plannin...
One of the best parts was getting our stakeholders involved in the process. Sumit's technical expertise and experience working through DR planning was invaluable in the development of our plan. One of the best and worst parts was doing it in 4 days, but putting our heads down and staying focused and getting it done.
|
| University of the Fraser Valley | Guided Implementation | 7/10 | $1,900 | 5 | |
| Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | $136K | 90 |
Darin was excellent - a true professional and voice of reason and reality. He helped my team stay on track and deliver a solid DR capability for o...
Darin was excellent - a true professional and voice of reason and reality. He helped my team stay on track and deliver a solid DR capability for our company.
|
| Stream Realty Partners, L.P. | Guided Implementation | 8/10 | $34,000 | 5 | |
| Evommune, Inc. | Guided Implementation | 9/10 | $6,800 | 18 | |
| Texas Trust Credit Union | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | $31,960 | 20 |
I really appreciate Scott’s experience and expertise on this subject. He made it clear and easy to understand.
I really appreciate Scott’s experience and expertise on this subject. He made it clear and easy to understand.
|
| City of Palm Beach Gardens, FL | Workshop | 10/10 | $34,000 | 20 |
Time consuming for a large portion of staff however will pay off with saving time for all employees in the event of a disaster.
Time consuming for a large portion of staff however will pay off with saving time for all employees in the event of a disaster.
|
| National Arts Centre Canada | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | $50,000 | 20 |
Working with Frank was wonderful, he was knowledgeable, patient and really took his time to walk us through the fundamentals without judgement. It ...
Working with Frank was wonderful, he was knowledgeable, patient and really took his time to walk us through the fundamentals without judgement. It was a great experience overall and we will really use the resources and information to improve our organization.
|
| State of New Mexico Early Childhood & Care Department | Guided Implementation | 9/10 | $13,600 | 20 |
Organization of materials that can be tailored to organization size and maturity and can be approached iteratively. Great callouts differentiating...
Organization of materials that can be tailored to organization size and maturity and can be approached iteratively. Great callouts differentiating roles of organization versus IT and differentiating BCP & DR & crisis management.
|
| County of Stafford | Workshop | 10/10 | $136K | 90 |
Our workshop facilitator, Venkat, was extremely knowledgeable! He added significant value to our discussions and provided us with great recommendat...
Our workshop facilitator, Venkat, was extremely knowledgeable! He added significant value to our discussions and provided us with great recommendations. Venkat's thought-provoking discussions really helped our team think through scenarios with an open mind and not overlook things. Venkat is a precious resource to the InfoTech team!
|
| Eastern Michigan University | Guided Implementation | 10/10 | N/A | N/A |
Our consultant was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable.
Our consultant was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable.
|
| Stream Realty Partners, L.P. | Guided Implementation | 9/10 | $34,000 | 10 |
ITRG Provides Proven Results for IT Leaders
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ITRG members spanning the Global 2000
$400M+
Cut from IT costs with our pricing intelligence and advisory support
+8%
Increase in stakeholder satisfaction where IT leaders used Info-Tech services
9.5/10
Member-related value across +50,000 analyst calls, workshops and projects
About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
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