To test this theory, I recently ran a survey on LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/answers/administration/purchasing/ADM_PUR/594511-23729851?browseIdx=0&sik=1260541338937&goback=%2Eamq) and asked the following question:
“When entering into a long term contract, do you require your vendor to have a business continuity / disaster recovery plan?”  From all the various groups and Q&A sections I posted to, I received about 20 responses.

I’ll let the purchasing agents speak for themselves:
“Long term or short term – doesn’t matter – it is a requirement to get to the final table. I coach my clients to ask the prospective service providers to present their disaster mitigation & recover plans as part of the bidding process. That not only includes the “data systems” – which is what most companies think is the issue – but also to understand what other facilities the provider can bring to the table in the case of disaster like fire, flood or storm. “  David Schneider, (DKS&CO)

“The RFPs I’ve answered all seem to request a Disaster Recovery Plan. It seems pretty standard after 9/11 and Katrina to have one for your business.”  Leah Graves

“Disater Recovery is a part of every and any Self respecting RFP.”   VVSSB Shankar

“When procuring healthcare services, a disaster recovery plan is of key importance. Some healthcare services are non life-critical, but there are some services where an interruption in provision could result in loss of life. Dependent on the nature of the project, I would expect my providers to have an awareness of the risks and potential points of failure in their operation, and to have plans in place for disaster avoidance and recovery.
A cheap service without a disaster plan is of no interest to me!”   Gavin Hodgson

From the Managed Care Contracting Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&gid=142596&sik=1260542957515&discussionID=10351883&readyToAnswer=readyToAnswer&trk=ug_qa_usrcomm&goback=%2Eana_142596_1260542957515_3_1

“Yes, we would choose the supplier with a risk mitigation plan established. We can’t stop a diasaster from happening but we also can’t wait for a 6 month repair situation to occur. We prefer to establish long term relationships.”

“Yes, in the event that the service interuption will cause an impact on care or service to downstream customers such as healthcare subscribers or members.”

To be fair, there are some situations where a plan is not a factor: http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&gid=1426&sik=1260542957517&discussionID=10351857&readyToAnswer=readyToAnswer&trk=ug_qa_usrcomm&goback=%2Eana_1426_1260542957517_3_1
“To be honest sir, in all the RFP’s I have worked on for government clients, the issue of BCP hardly ever comes up.”

So even through a Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery plan may not be critical to every bid you enter into, it may be a requisite component for reaching the final table.  Depending upon the value of the contracts you can win, a comprehensive business continuity / disaster recovery plan can actually pay for itself and add real dollars to your bottom line.

For more information on business continuity / disaster recovery planning, visit http://TechValleyContinuity.com

When assessing data backup and recovery, there are several things to consider:

1. What is your mission critical data
2. How long before missing that data really starts to hurt
3. How much can I afford to spend to protect “the family jewels”
4. What options are available

 Questions 1, 2, and 3 can only be answered by you, after a careful analysis of your company.  This article will focus on question #4, available options.

 Option 1: Backup to a removable device

DVD, thumb drives, USB drives and tape are the common technologies used today.  They require relatively little technology knowledge, and for a desktop computer inexpensive to implement.  The drawback is the human intervention to run the backups and then carry it offsite (it doesn’t do you any good to backup a computer then leave the tapes in the computer room that burns).  Also, once the backup is offsite, security becomes an issue, especially if personal or credit information is involved.  There is also the concern the media might become damaged and render recovery impossible.  Another consideration is that your data is only as current as your last backup, so timing is important.

 Option 2: RAID storage

This is a hardware solution that protects your data from a hard drive failure.  Depending upon the type of RAID level implemented, the data is scattered across multiple devices and then replicated to other drives.  The coverage is limited to a disk failure and there is a one-time cost associated with purchasing the equipment.  However, when needed, it provides a recovery that is imperceptible to the users.

 Option 3: Electronic offsite backup of changes

This popular option takes the changes you’ve made and copies them to an offsite location, usually hosted by a third party.  Many companies offer this service.  As a SunGard partner I have found them to be among the best in the business.  The advantage to this solution is getting the data off of your premises and into a secured location.  The data is typically encrypted so privacy is maintained.  The method can also be scheduled for off hours, so no human intervention is required.  Efficient software has reduced the amount of data being transferred, but adequate bandwidth is something to consider.  This solution also carries a subscription cost that may be offset by reduced labor costs and increased reliability.

 Option 4: Live – Mirrored – Offsite Servers

This is the Cadillac of the backup and recovery options.  Here, you have a computer identical to the one you use in capabilities and capacity.  When a user presses the Enter key, any data that is saved is immediately replicated on the mirrored server.  This also happens during a batch process, such as payroll processing or customer billing.  This mirrored server can be located within your live data center, but a more effective solution is location in a secure, offsite data center.  Again, SunGard and other companies offer this service.  As you might imagine, this doubles your hardware cost and requires higher bandwidth.  However, it is the most reliable to recover since no data is lost.

The best solution for your company be a combination of these options.  They all have their pros and cons.  The challenge, is finding the right fit for you.  The worst solution is doing nothing.

 If you need help in exploring your data backup and recovery options, feel free to contact me at gturner@TechValleyContinuity.com.

Tech Valley Continuity works with companies to help them prepare for the next ice storm, hurricane, computer crash or other event that can jeopardize their future.  If you would like to learn more about Tech Valley Continuity, visit the website at http://TechValleyContinuity.com.

That may or may not be true. According to the Department of Homeland Security, 20% of small to medium sized businesses will experience a significant event every 5 years. Of those victims, over 70% will fail within 3 years because of that event. They may have insurance to pay for the physical damage, but how can you recover lost credibility, lost customers, or future revenue. If your business closes its doors for 3-6 months because of a fire, can you afford to pay for employees who are not working and generating revenue?

Here are 3 reasons why your company should plan for a crisis?
1) Your future depends upon it. There are many “things” out there that threaten your company. Ice storms, hurricanes, tornados and fire are the obvious ones. Computer crashes top the list as well. But what about product recalls, false / malicious rumors about your executive team, workplace violence or an inability to fulfill service level agreements because of a pandemic. Proper planning may or may not prevent these from occurring, but you can certainly manage the ramifications if you have a well prepared plan of action.

2) You can actually get more sales with larger customers. How can this happen? You can gain a competitive advantage in a bidding situation. If you and your competition offer the product, with the same quality of service and at the same price, you need a competitive edge; some way to differentiate yourself from the competition. If you can prove to your prospect that you will be there for them – regardless of the circumstances – you will not only be more professional but you will probably win the bid.

3) You will become more efficient in your day-to-day operations. One of the first steps to building your plans is to analyze your work flows. Typically you will find single points of failure and operational bottlenecks. You may identify work being performed that is no longer necessary or can be done differently. You will get a better understanding of your I.T. infrastructure and backup and recovery methods. Your planning may change something that currently takes most of a Saturday to do manually, into a process done automatically at night. These efficiencies can translate into lower costs, higher productivity, improved customer service and ultimately higher sales. And then there’s the ultimate efficiency – if a fire occurs in your facility that will keep you out of the office for 3 months, how much more efficient will you be if you are back in operations with 24 to 48 hours?

One final word of caution, don’t wait until you have the fire to figure out what you need to do. By then it will be too late. Plan ahead and you will be planning to survive.

This is the first of a series of articles that will explain how to go about preparing your company, so that you too can turn a potential disaster into an annoyance.

 Tech Valley Continuity works with companies to help them prepare for the next ice storm, hurricane, computer crash or other event that can jeopardize their future.  If you would like to learn more about Tech Valley Continuity, visit the website at http://TechValleyContinuity.com.