Business Continuity Planning is the key essential master plan used for recovery and restore of business. This logistical plan will layout how the organization will recover from partial or complete interruption of business. Here is a quick guide that will help you determine if the business continuity plan will work.

TEST

DESCRIPTION

CHECKLIST

COPIES of the plan are sent to different department
managers and business unit managers for review, (WITHOUT A MEETING). This is a simple test and should be
used in conjunction with other tests.

STRUCTURED WALK-THROUGH

Structured
Walk-through—Team members and other individuals responsible for recovery MEET and walk
through the plan step-by-step to identify errors or assumptions.

SIMULATION

This is a simulation of
an actual emergency. Members of the response team act in the same way as if
there was a real emergency.

PARALLEL

Parallel—This is similar
to simulation testing, but the primary site is uninterrupted and critical
systems are run in parallel at the alternative and primary sites.

FULL INTERRUPTION

This test involves all facets
of the company in a response to an emergency. It mimics a real disaster where
all steps are performed to test the plan. Systems are shut down at the
primary site and all individuals who would be involved in a real emergency,
including internal and external organizations, participate in the test. This
test is the most detailed, time-consuming, and expensive all of these.