Get started

Get started

Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.

• Types of climate risk and how DR teams can prepare for them

  Understanding different types of climate risks and how to plan for them can help organizations better prepare for disasters and improve their impact on the environment. Continue Reading

• Business continuity vs. emergency management

  There is overlap between business continuity and emergency management, but don't confuse the two. They are separate but equally critical disaster recovery practices. Continue Reading

• What is a business continuity plan audit and how do you create one?

  A business continuity plan audit is a formalized method for evaluating how business continuity processes are being managed. Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery glossary: 27 terms to know

  Creating a disaster recovery plan is challenging, but critical for long-term business success. DR teams and IT can benefit from understanding these 27 terms. Continue Reading

• Free network disaster recovery plan template and guide

  Proper network disaster recovery planning can mean the difference between a brief disruption and extensive downtime. Download our free template to get started building a plan. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • What is a business continuity plan audit and how do you create one?
  • What is a business continuity plan (BCP)?
  • What is risk mitigation? Strategies, plan and best practices
  • Windows file share witness (FSW)

  • ransomware recovery
  • disaster recovery (DR) test
  • ISO/TS 22317 (International Organization for Standardization Technical Standard 22317)
  • disaster recovery plan (DRP)

  View All Definitions

• 4 cloud disaster recovery best practices

  The cloud is a widely implemented technology for flexible and reliable disaster recovery. Businesses can optimize a cloud DR strategy with these four best practices.Continue Reading

• 6 disaster recovery site requirements for businesses

  Building a disaster recovery site provides organizations with a high degree of control over the facility. It also makes them responsible for several critical requirements.Continue Reading

• What is a business continuity plan (BCP)?

  A business continuity plan (BCP) is a document that consists of the critical information an organization needs to continue operating during an unplanned event.Continue Reading

• Example disaster recovery plan for small businesses

  Small businesses make significant investments in IT infrastructure. They must protect those investments from unplanned and potentially destructive events with a DR plan.Continue Reading

• What is risk mitigation? Strategies, plan and best practices

  Risk mitigation is a strategy to prepare for and lessen the effects of threats faced by a business.Continue Reading

• The 4 phases of emergency management

  To effectively recover from a disruptive incident, IT and DR teams must have a plan in place. This guide breaks down the four phases of an emergency management plan.Continue Reading

• Windows file share witness (FSW)

  A Windows file share witness is a file share that is available to all nodes in a high-availability cluster.Continue Reading

• ransomware recovery

  Ransomware recovery is the process of resuming operations following a cyberattack that demands payment in exchange for unlocking encrypted data.Continue Reading

• disaster recovery (DR) test

  A disaster recovery test is the examination of each step in a disaster recovery plan to ensure that an organization can recover data, restore business critical applications and continue operations after an interruption of services.Continue Reading

• ISO/TS 22317 (International Organization for Standardization Technical Standard 22317)

  ISO/TS 22317 is the first formal standard to address the business impact analysis process.Continue Reading

• disaster recovery plan (DRP)

  A disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a documented, structured approach that describes how an organization can quickly resume operations after an unplanned incident.Continue Reading

• disaster recovery (DR)

  Disaster recovery (DR) is an organization's ability to respond to and recover from an event that negatively affects business operations.Continue Reading

• disaster recovery (DR) site

  A disaster recovery (DR) site is a facility an organization can use to recover and restore its technology infrastructure and operations when its primary data center becomes unavailable.Continue Reading

• business continuity

  Business continuity is an organization's ability to maintain critical business functions during and after a disaster has occurred.Continue Reading

• warm site

  A warm site is a type of facility an organization uses to recover its technology infrastructure when its primary data center goes down. A warm site features an equipped data center but no customer data.Continue Reading

• change control

  Change control includes the various steps needed to process changes made to a product or system. Completion of change controls in a systematic fashion is part of a change management process.Continue Reading

• tabletop exercise (TTX)

  A tabletop exercise (TTX) is a disaster preparedness activity that takes participants through the process of dealing with a simulated disaster scenario.Continue Reading

• Free business continuity testing template for IT pros

  Business continuity testing can be a major challenge for any organization. This free template offers ways to incorporate testing into the business continuity management process.Continue Reading

• crisis management plan (CMP)

  A crisis management plan (CMP) outlines how an organization should respond to a critical situation that if left unaddressed, could negatively affect its profitability, reputation or ability to operate.Continue Reading

• 7 top business continuity certifications to consider in 2024

  Organizations can bolster and validate the expertise of their IT teams with a variety of certifications. There are several options aimed at business continuity professionals.Continue Reading

• Best practices for a strong disaster recovery testing strategy

  Testing is a critical part of the disaster recovery planning process. Without proper testing, IT teams might miss crucial updates or make avoidable missteps in a recovery.Continue Reading

• What is the link between sustainability and business continuity?

  At first glance, business continuity planning and sustainability efforts might seem separate. But at their core, both aim to create a resilient organization.Continue Reading

• disaster recovery team

  A disaster recovery team is a group of individuals focused on planning, implementing, maintaining, auditing and testing an organization's business continuity and disaster recovery procedures.Continue Reading

• synchronous replication

  Synchronous replication is the process of copying data over a network to create multiple current copies of the data.Continue Reading

• network load balancing (NLB)

  Network load balancing (NLB) is a feature in multiple versions of the Microsoft Windows Server operating system (OS), Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other cloud service providers that distribute network traffic among multiple servers or virtual ...Continue Reading

• fault tolerance

  Fault tolerance is the capability of a system to deliver uninterrupted service despite one or more of its components failing.Continue Reading

• crisis communication

  Crisis communication is a strategic approach to corresponding with people and organizations during a disruptive event.Continue Reading

• emergency communications plan (EC plan)

  An emergency communications plan (EC plan) is a document that provides guidelines, contact information and procedures for how information should be shared during all phases of an unexpected occurrence that requires immediate action.Continue Reading

• call tree

  A call tree is a layered hierarchical communication model used to notify specific individuals of an event and coordinate recovery if necessary.Continue Reading

• natural disaster recovery

  Natural disaster recovery is the process of recovering data and resuming business operations following a natural disaster.Continue Reading

• Risk assessment matrix: Free template and usage guide

  A risk assessment matrix identifies issues that present the greatest potential for business disruption or damage. Use this free template to focus risk mitigation plans.Continue Reading

• Business continuity maturity model: An at-a-glance guide

  Business continuity maturity models are effective tools to improve disaster recovery processes and define an organization's desired level of BC preparedness.Continue Reading

• How to use a SWOT analysis for IT disaster recovery planning

  A disaster recovery IT SWOT analysis can identify the good and the bad aspects of a DR plan, as well as highlight potential risks and opportunities for improvement.Continue Reading

• data replication

  Data replication is the process of copying data from one location to another.Continue Reading

• cloud disaster recovery (cloud DR)

  Cloud disaster recovery (cloud DR) is a combination of strategies and services intended to back up data, applications and other resources to public cloud or dedicated service providers.Continue Reading

• disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS)

  Disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) is a cloud computing service model offered by third-party vendors that provides failover in the event of a natural catastrophe, power outage or other type of business disruption.Continue Reading

• Fine-tune a social media emergency plan with ISO 22329:2021

  Social media and its effective management are major interests for emergency management professionals. Find out how ISO's recent standard can help guide a social media strategy.Continue Reading

• Effective business continuity requires evolution and a plan

  Investment in business continuity is one of the best ways to get an organization back on its feet during and after an incident. Updated plans are critical to avoid a crisis.Continue Reading

• Developing an emergency communications plan: A template for business continuity professionals

  Communicating details in a crisis is a vital part of BC and resilience planning. Follow the steps below and the associated template to prepare an emergency communication plan.Continue Reading

• Why BCDR teams should consider EMP disaster recovery plans

  An EMP event could be a major game changer depending on where it happens and who is affected. EMP disaster recovery might not seem urgent, but it never hurts to be prepared.Continue Reading

• emergency notification system

  An emergency notification system is an automated method of contacting a group of people within an organization and distributing important information during a crisis.Continue Reading

• virtual disaster recovery

  Virtual disaster recovery is a type of DR that typically involves replication and enables a user to fail over to virtualized workloads.Continue Reading

• network disaster recovery plan

  A network disaster recovery plan is a set of procedures designed to prepare an organization to respond to an interruption of network services during a natural or humanmade catastrophe.Continue Reading

• Create a flood business continuity plan to stay afloat

  In the event of a flood, don't settle for watered-down action plans. Download our free flood business continuity plan template to create a flood-specific recovery strategy.Continue Reading

• Why a HIPAA disaster recovery plan is critical

  Disaster recovery is a complex and high-stakes operation. When healthcare data is in the mix, a good DR plan is even more crucial. Do you have a HIPAA disaster plan in place?Continue Reading

• Use ISO/TS 22317:2021 to shape your business impact analysis

  ISO/TS 22317:2021 is a useful tool for BCDR practitioners and other personnel tasked with executing a BIA, which can often be a highly complex activity.Continue Reading

• Get the most out of Azure Site Recovery DRaaS

  For Azure users, the Site Recovery DRaaS tool provides reliable and accessible disaster recovery. Testing and good management are critical to get the most out of the service.Continue Reading

• operational resilience

  Operational resilience is a business's ability to respond to and overcome adverse circumstances during operation that might cause financial loss or disrupt business services.Continue Reading

• SaaS disaster recovery best practices for users and providers

  When it comes to SaaS disaster recovery there are two main roles: the consumer and the provider. The side of the fence they're on defines their options and responsibilities.Continue Reading

• 12 key points a disaster recovery plan checklist must include

  Having a comprehensive disaster recovery plan checklist ensures that you can get data center operations back up and running as efficiently as possible when an incident does occur.Continue Reading

• organization resilience

  Organizational resilience is an organization's ability to anticipate issues ahead of time and develop a plan for handling identified problems.Continue Reading

• Business resilience vs. business continuity: Key differences

  Business continuity and resilience go hand in hand and play a role in an organization's disaster recovery plan. Essentially, business continuity is needed to achieve resilience.Continue Reading

• Free business impact analysis (BIA) template with instructions

  If you need to perform a business impact analysis, this guide and our free, downloadable template will assist you in your business continuity planning.Continue Reading

• business continuity software

  Business continuity software is an application or suite designed to make business continuity planning/business continuity management (BCP/BCM) processes, metrics and compliance more efficient and accurate.Continue Reading

• A free business continuity plan template and guide

  A business continuity plan is critical for an organization when an unplanned event occurs. Follow this template and BC planning guidelines to get on the right path to resilience.Continue Reading

• Top 10 business continuity risks to monitor

  Business continuity and disaster recovery threats vary by organization, but common threads can be found across the globe. Ten worrisome trends appear to be having a big year.Continue Reading

• business continuity policy

  A business continuity policy is a set of standards and guidelines that an organization enforces to ensure resilience and proper risk management.Continue Reading

• Prepare and conduct a ransomware tabletop exercise

  Tabletop exercises help organizations practice response and recovery, but one size doesn't fit all. For ransomware attacks, use this template to create a targeted exercise.Continue Reading

• Decode different types of business interruption insurance

  Business interruption insurance can be difficult to navigate because not all policies are the same. Here's what to examine when exploring insurance options.Continue Reading

• Top mass notification system vendors and how to choose one

  Mass notification systems are crucial to a business continuity and disaster recovery strategy. To choose the right system, cross-check its capabilities with your requirements.Continue Reading

• Fortify emergency communications systems with a business plan

  Emergency communications is one of the first actions organizations should undertake during an incident. An automated system is critical but cannot stand alone without a plan.Continue Reading

• DRaaS vs. BaaS: Compare 2 data protection options

  While DRaaS and BaaS can simplify data protection operations, they aren't right for all IT shops. Learn the differences between the two technologies -- and the potential risks.Continue Reading

• How to plan for the cost of unplanned downtime

  Unplanned downtime can lead to serious consequences, including reputational harm, revenue loss and extra IT costs. Use these tips to plan for the unexpected.Continue Reading

• Crisis communications training exercises to implement

  A crisis communications team must be prepared to spring into action at a moment's notice. Here are three crisis communications training strategies to ensure a team is ready.Continue Reading

• Business continuity interview questions for aspiring managers

  Business continuity managers must be ready for anything, and that includes interviewing for the role. Here are some common business continuity interview questions to prepare for.Continue Reading

• What are some examples of organizational resilience?

  Organizational resilience encompasses everything a company needs to run in times of crisis. These examples show how businesses handle tough situations.Continue Reading

• Establish a business continuity team to get the full picture

  Business continuity teams provide insight and focus that can keep an organization on its feet when disaster strikes. Don't rely on a disaster recovery team to reduce downtime.Continue Reading

• Create an incident response plan with this free template

  Want to boost your organization's ability to fight cybersecurity threats? Uncover the essentials to creating an incident response plan and download our free, editable template.Continue Reading

• Prepare for the unknown with an organizational resilience model

  An organizational resilience strategy is far-reaching, involving many facets of IT and the business -- from disaster recovery to supply chain management.Continue Reading

• How to establish an operational resilience training program

  Collaboration across departments is the new normal to protect business operations. Set up and promote an operational resilience training program with our included printable guide.Continue Reading

• Bolster an operational resilience strategy with these tips

  What's the first step to achieve operational resilience? Knowing which assets and activities are most critical to the business.Continue Reading

• Follow these standards for business continuity and resilience

  Business continuity, disaster recovery and resilience professionals have numerous IT standards they can reference for nearly every aspect of planning.Continue Reading

• Optimize a BCDR strategy for 2021 and beyond

  COVID-19 has changed the way many organizations view BCDR. Along with an increased interest in resilience, a pandemic-proof BCDR plan is likely top of mind for 2021.Continue Reading

• Use APIs to create a custom disaster recovery report

  The right set of PowerShell commands and API calls can go a long way to build and customize a disaster recovery report. Learn how with these steps.Continue Reading

• How can a pandemic business continuity plan cover employees?

  A major element in maintaining business continuity during a pandemic is taking care of employee health. Pandemic-specific planning must be a part of the overall BCDR plan.Continue Reading

• Colocation in disaster recovery: Everything you need to know

  Colocation is an important DR strategy and it's a vital resource for ensuring mission-critical systems and data files can be securely protected and available when needed.Continue Reading

• Prepare for a business continuity audit with the FFIEC handbook

  The FFIEC 'Business Continuity Management' handbook can serve as a guide to ensure that BC activities are consistent with best practices and are ready for an audit.Continue Reading

• Business continuity vendors bolster offerings during pandemic

  Organizations must ensure their pandemic business continuity and technology DR plans address cybersecurity, as well as remote employees, social distancing and company shutdowns.Continue Reading

• After-action report template and guide for DR planning

  Conducting an after-action report following disasters or internal DR exercises is a critical process that will help prepare an organization for future disruptive events.Continue Reading

• Updated FFIEC 'Business Continuity' handbook highlights planning

  The FFIEC handbook on business continuity has been updated by the organization to place greater emphasis on planning, with more detailed information on testing and exercises.Continue Reading

• Creating a post-pandemic recovery plan is an ongoing process

  There is still much to learn about post-pandemic DR at this stage of COVID-19. Organizations should keep an eye on pandemic-specific software changes and updated recovery tools.Continue Reading

• Terms to aid your pandemic recovery planning process

  When updating your organization's pandemic plan, it can help to have these terms handy. These tools, processes and standards are key to a solid recovery plan.Continue Reading

• Steps to building a pandemic business continuity plan

  Your business continuity plan may address some concerns that come along with a pandemic, but COVID-19 has emphasized the importance of having remote work as part of it.Continue Reading

• Small business pandemic plan should cover supply chain, staff

  COVID-19 has many organizations shifting gears when it comes to pandemic planning, and SMBs are no exception. For small companies, adaptability is the key to recovery.Continue Reading

• Strategies for kicking off your pandemic recovery plan

  Before resuming business activities after a pandemic, establish a timeline and plan for recovery. Reviewing a business impact analysis and creating a recovery framework can help.Continue Reading

• 12 steps for a successful DRaaS implementation

  Thinking of activating disaster recovery as a service? As you start this important process, consider these best practices that will help protect your organization.Continue Reading

• Prepare for serious health threats with a pandemic recovery plan

  COVID-19 has become a serious global threat and is rapidly becoming an issue for business continuity. Pandemic planning can help mitigate disruptive effects of disastrous events.Continue Reading

• 5 steps to create a coronavirus crisis management response plan

  The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench into many traditional BCDR plans. Here are five tips to update your crisis response plans and help your business weather the storm.Continue Reading

• 5 tips for building a crisis communication plan

  A crisis communication plan is a set of steps and procedures that outlines how a company should communicate with its employees, stakeholders and the public during an emergency.Continue Reading

• 12 key elements of a crisis management plan

  Starting or revising your crisis management planning? Include these elements in a plan to make sure you don't leave anything out and your organization can run effectively.Continue Reading

• pandemic plan

  A pandemic plan is a documented strategy for business continuity in the event of a widespread outbreak of a dangerous infectious disease.Continue Reading

• Tips for updating your corporate pandemic response plan

  To ensure your workplace pandemic response plan is up-to-date and sufficient, check it against other business continuity procedures, and consult important sources for further guidance.Continue Reading

• Free service-level agreement template for DR plans

  Download our free SLA template to help you get started planning the performance and response time requirements associated with disaster recovery activities.Continue Reading

• Obtaining professional business continuity certifications

  Professional resilience certifications recognize those working in business continuity and disaster recovery, and the education that comes with them is a valuable resource.Continue Reading

• How to build and train organizational resilience teams

  Well-trained resilience and emergency response teams are a key element of maintaining business continuity and recovering your organization when disaster strikes.Continue Reading