5 steps to create your IT contingency plan

Any company that owns IT assets, and especially all those that can be considered as multi-site SMEs, need a IT contingency plan tailored to the specifics of your businessIT security is largely a matter of detailed analysis of each aspect that may fail in a system and the preparation of specific actions to minimize the effects of each possible failure. Ideally, these actions should be recorded in a IT contingency plan, which is the best way to manage the response to any unexpected situation that may lead to the loss of information relevant to the company. This is a proactive strategy, in which a company anticipates problems that may arise, detailing possible solutions for each of them. Another possible alternative is create a disaster recovery plan, with specific instructions to effectively deal with any problematic situation. Let's see below how to develop a successful IT contingency plan.

Identify what you have to know what you can lose

Before proposing a disaster recovery plans It is essential to know in detail what your IT assets are and what threats they may face. We are not just talking about carrying out a data backup or backup; In this proposal we go much further. The points that we propose below will give you an idea of where to start identifying the risks:

Supply problemsAny delay in the supply of basic material for the development of the activity represents a risk. Ideally, this should be minimised with a small safety stock or with several suppliers to turn to.
Lack of staff. Staff may suffer accidents or illnesses, which will result in more or less long absences. When a key person is absent for a long time, urgent measures must be taken.
Equipment failures. Both destruction and serious equipment failures and also software failures. The more scenarios we have planned for, the better our IT contingency plan.
Significant changes in the economy or in our environmentThe economic situation can change at any time due to political decisions or changes in consumer habits. It may also happen that our competition stands out with a new product and this forces us to make changes in strategy.
Legal or public opinion problemsBoth a complaint and a confrontation with public opinion are two very important risks that require impeccable management from the very beginning.

Define your own IT contingency plan

A good IT security plan should be designed following these five steps:

Establish the foundations of the plan. It involves defining objectives and priorities for action. The first steps to follow will also be detailed and responsibilities will be assigned for each of them.
Establish prevention controls. All threats that can be foreseen and neutralized will not become real problems. Effective use of backup would fall within this prevention stage.
Develop a detailed disaster recovery plan. Designate those responsible and procedures that allow the normal development of the activity to be resumed as soon as possible.
Regularly check the effectiveness and correct application of the planThe correct design and implementation of the plan is as important as its continuous review and updating, so that it becomes increasingly solid and effective.
Plan maintenanceAll the work invested in developing and implementing the plan would be of no use if we neglected to establish periodic controls that would allow us to verify its effectiveness.