Disaster Recovery Plan Template Basic

This Disaster Recovery Plan Template was designed to assist you in the development of your
Disaster Recovery Plan.  This Disaster Recovery Plan Template was developed using the following
resources. You are free to edit the Disaster Recovery Plan Template as you see fit. The objective of
a disaster recovery plan is to ensure that you can respond to a disaster or other emergency that
affects information systems and minimize the effect on the operation of the business. This topic
provides you with guidelines for the kind of information and procedures that you need to recover
from a disaster. When you have prepared the information described in this topic, store your
document in a safe, accessible location off site.
 California Preservation Program.  Disaster Plan Template, 2005.
http://calpreservation.org/disasters/index.html
 Council of Superior Court Clerks of Georgia, Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan, 2008.
 Fortson, Judith. Disaster Planning and Recovery: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians and
Archivists. New York: Neal-Schuman, 1992.
 Jones, Virginia A. and Kris E. Keyes.  Emergency Management for Records and Information
Programs.  Prairie Village, KS: ARMA, 2001.
You can download this Disaster Recovery Plan Template for free using the links below:
Microsoft Word 97-2003: Click Here
Microsoft Word 2010: Click Here
Adobe PDF:  Click Here
 

Disaster Recovery Plan

Section 1. Major goals of this plan
The major goals of this plan are the following:
 To minimize interruptions to the normal operations.
 To limit the extent of disruption and damage.
 To minimize the economic impact of the interruption.
 To establish alternative means of operation in advance.
 To train personnel with emergency procedures.
 To provide for smooth and rapid restoration of service.
Section 2. Personnel
 
Data processing personnel
Name Position Address Telephone
Note:
Attach a copy of your organization chart to this section of the plan.
Section 3. Application profile
Use the Display Software Resources (DSPSFWRSC) command to complete this table.
Application profile
Critical? Fixed Asset?
Application Name Yes/No Yes/No Manufacturer Comments
Comment legend:
 1. Runs daily______.
2. Runs weekly on ________.
3. Runs monthly on ________.
Section 4. Inventory profile
Use the Work with Hardware Products (WRKHDWPRD) command to complete this table. This list
should include the following:
 Processing units
 Disk units
 Models
 Workstation controllers
 Personal computers
 Spare workstations
 Telephones
 Air conditioner or heater
 System printer
 Tape and diskette units
 Controllers
 I/O processors
 General data communication
 Spare displays
 Racks
 Humidifier or dehumidifier
 
Inventory profile
Own or
Manufacturer Description Model Serial Number Leased Cost
Note:
This list should be audited every ________ months.
 
Miscellaneous inventory
Description Quantity Comments
Note:
This list should include the following:
 Tapes
 PC software (such as DOS)
 File cabinet contents or documentation
 Tape vault contents
 Diskettes
 Emulation packages
 Language software (such as COBOL and RPG)
 Printer supplies (such as paper and forms)
Section 5. Information services backup procedures
 iSeries Server
 Daily, journal receivers are changed at ________ and at ________.
 Daily, a save of changed objects in the following libraries and directories is done at
______:
 __________
  __________
 __________
 __________
 __________
 __________
 __________
 __________
This procedure also saves the journals and journal receivers.
 On ________ (day) at ________ (time) a complete save of the system is done.
 All save media is stored off-site in a vault at ________ (location).
 Personal Computer
 It is recommended that all personal computers be backed up. Copies of the personal
computer files should be uploaded to the server on ________ (date) at ________ (time),
just before a complete save of the system is done. It is then saved with the normal system
save procedure. This provides for a more secure backup of personal computer-related
systems where a local area disaster could wipe out important personal computer systems.
Section 6. Disaster recovery procedures
For any disaster recovery plan, the following three elements should be addressed.
Emergency Response Procedures
To document the appropriate emergency response to a fire, natural disaster, or any other
activity in order to protect lives and limit damage.
Backup Operations Procedures
To ensure that essential data processing operational tasks can be conducted after the
disruption.
Recovery Actions Procedures
To facilitate the rapid restoration of a data processing system following a disaster.
Disaster action checklist
1. Plan Initiation
1. Notify senior management
2. Contact and set up disaster recovery team
3. Determine degree of disaster
4. Implement proper application recovery plan dependent on extent of disaster (see Section
7. Recovery plan–mobile site)
5. Monitor progress
6. Contact backup site and establish schedules
7. Contact all other necessary personnel–both user and data processing
8. Contact vendors–both hardware and software
9. Notify users of the disruption of service
2. Follow-Up Checklist
1. List teams and tasks of each
2. Obtain emergency cash and set up transportation to and from backup site, if necessary
3. Set up living quarters, if necessary
4. Set up eating establishments, as required
5. List all personnel and their telephone numbers
6. Establish user participation plan
7. Set up the delivery and the receipt of mail
8. Establish emergency office supplies
9. Rent or purchase equipment, as needed
10. Determine applications to be run and in what sequence
11. Identify number of workstations needed
12. Check out any off-line equipment needs for each application
13. Check on forms needed for each application
 14. Check all data being taken to backup site before leaving and leave inventory profile at
home location
15. Set up primary vendors for assistance with problems incurred during emergency
16. Plan for transportation of any additional items needed at backup site
17. Take directions (map) to backup site
18. Check for additional magnetic tapes, if required
19. Take copies of system and operational documentation and procedural manuals.
20. Ensure that all personnel involved know their tasks
21. Notify insurance companies
Recovery start-up procedures for use after a disaster
1. Notify _________ Disaster Recovery Services of the need to utilize service and of recovery
plan selection.
Note:
Guaranteed delivery time countdown begins at the time _________ is notified of recovery
plan selection.
1. Disaster notification numbers
________ or ________
These telephone numbers are in service from ________ am until ________ pm Monday
through Friday.
2. Disaster notification number: ________This telephone number is in service for disaster
notification after business hours, on weekends, and during holidays. Please use this number
only for the notification of the actual disaster.
3. Provide _________ with an equipment delivery site address (when applicable), a contact, and
an alternate contact for coordinating service and telephone numbers at which contacts can be
reached 24 hours a day.
4. Contact power and telephone service suppliers and schedule any necessary service
connections.
5. Notify _________ immediately if any related plans should change.
Section 7. Recovery plan-mobile site
1. Notify _________ of the nature of the disaster and the need to select the mobile site plan.
2. Confirm in writing the substance of the telephone notification to _________ within 48 hours of
the telephone notification.
3. Confirm all needed backup media are available to load the backup machine.
4. Prepare a purchase order to cover the use of backup equipment.
5. Notify _________ of plans for a trailer and its placement (on ________ side of ________).
(See the Mobile site setup plan in this section.)
6. Depending on communication needs, notify telephone company (________) of possible
emergency line changes.
7. Begin setting up power and communications at _________.
1. Power and communications are prearranged to hook into when trailer arrives.
2. At the point where telephone lines come into the building (_________), break the current
linkage to the administration controllers (_________). These lines are rerouted to lines
going to the mobile site. They are linked to modems at the mobile site.The lines currently
going from _________ to _________ would then be linked to the mobile unit via
modems.
3. This could conceivably require _________ to redirect lines at _________ complex to a
more secure area in case of disaster.
8. When the trailer arrives, plug into power and do necessary checks.
9. Plug into the communications lines and do necessary checks.
10. Begin loading system from backups (see Section 9. Restoring the Entire System).
11. Begin normal operations as soon as possible:
1. Daily jobs
 2. Daily saves
3. Weekly saves
12. Plan a schedule to back up the system in order to restore on a home-base computer when a
site is available. (Use regular system backup procedures).
13. Secure mobile site and distribute keys as required.
14. Keep a maintenance log on mobile equipment.
Mobile site setup plan
Attach the mobile site setup plan here.
 
Communication disaster plan
Attach the communication disaster plan, including the wiring diagrams.
 
Electrical service
Attach the electrical service diagram here.
 
Section 8. Recovery plan-hot site
The disaster recovery service provides an alternate hot site. The site has a backup system for
temporary use while the home site is being reestablished.
1. Notify _________ of the nature of the disaster and of its desire for a hot site.
2. Request air shipment of modems to _________ for communications. (See _________ for
communications for the hot site.)
3. Confirm in writing the telephone notification to _________ within 48 hours of the telephone
notification.
4. Begin making necessary travel arrangements to the site for the operations team.
5. Confirm that all needed tapes are available and packed for shipment to restore on the backup
system.
6. Prepare a purchase order to cover the use of the backup system.
7. Review the checklist for all necessary materials before departing to the hot site.
8. Make sure that the disaster recovery team at the disaster site has the necessary information to
begin restoring the site. (See Section 12. Disaster site rebuilding).
9. Provide for travel expenses (cash advance).
10. After arriving at the hot site, contact home base to establish communications procedures.
11. Review materials brought to the hot site for completeness.
12. Begin loading the system from the save tapes.
13. Begin normal operations as soon as possible:
1. Daily jobs
2. Daily saves
3. Weekly saves
14. Plan the schedule to back up the hot-site system in order to restore on the home-base
computer.
Hot-site system configuration
Attach the hot-site system configuration here.
Section 9. Restoring the entire system
To get your system back to the way it was before the disaster, use the procedures on recovering
after a complete system loss in the Backup and Recovery, SC41-5304-06.
Before You Begin: Find the following tapes, equipment, and information from the on-site tape vault
or the off-site storage location:
 If you install from the alternate installation device, you need both your tape media and the CD-
ROM media containing the Licensed Internal Code.
 All tapes from the most recent complete save operation
 The most recent tapes from saving security data (SAVSECDTA or SAVSYS)
 The most recent tapes from saving your configuration, if necessary
 All tapes containing journals and journal receivers saved since the most recent daily save
operation
 All tapes from the most recent daily save operation
 PTF list (stored with the most recent complete save tapes, weekly save tapes, or both)
 Tape list from most recent complete save operation
 Tape list from most recent weekly save operation
 Tape list from daily saves
 History log from the most recent complete save operation
 History log from the most recent weekly save operation
 History log from the daily save operations
 The Software Installation book
 The Backup and Recovery book
 Telephone directory
 Modem manual
 Tool kit
Section 10. Rebuilding process
The management team must assess the damage and begin the reconstruction of a new data center.
If the original site must be restored or replaced, the following are some of the factors to consider:
 What is the projected availability of all needed computer equipment?
 Will it be more effective and efficient to upgrade the computer systems with newer equipment?
 What is the estimated time needed for repairs or construction of the data site?
 Is there an alternative site that more readily could be upgraded for computer purposes?
Once the decision to rebuild the data center has been made, go to Section 12. Disaster site
rebuilding.
Section 11. Testing the disaster recovery plan
In successful contingency planning, it is important to test and evaluate the plan regularly. Data
processing operations are volatile in nature, resulting in frequent changes to equipment, programs,
and documentation. These actions make it critical to consider the plan as a changing document. Use
thes checklists as your conduct your test and decide what areas should be tested.
Table 3. Conducting a recovery test
Not
Item Yes No Applicable Applicable Comments
Select the purpose of the test. What aspects
of the plan are being evaluated?
Describe the objectives of the test. How will
you measure successful achievement of the
objectives?
Meet with management and explain the test
and objectives. Gain their agreement and
support.
Have management announce the test and the
expected completion time.
Collect test results at the end of the test
period.
Evaluate results. Was recovery successful?
Why or why not?
Determine the implications of the test
results. Does successful recovery in a
simple case imply successful recovery for
all critical jobs in the tolerable outage
period?
Make recommendations for changes. Call
for responses by a given date.
Notify other areas of results. Include users
and auditors.
Change the disaster recovery plan manual as
necessary.
 
Table 4. Areas to be tested
Not
Item Yes No Applicable Applicable Comments
Recovery of individual application systems
by using files and documentation stored off-
site.
Reloading of system tapes and performing
an IPL by using files and documentation
stored off-site.
Ability to process on a different computer.
Ability of management to determine priority
of systems with limited processing.
Ability to recover and process successfully
without key people.
Ability of the plan to clarify areas of
responsibility and the chain of command.
Effectiveness of security measures and
security bypass procedures during the
recovery period.
Ability to accomplish emergency evacuation
and basic first-aid responses.
Ability of users of real-time systems to cope
with a temporary loss of on-line
information.
Ability of users to continue day-to-day
operations without applications or jobs that
are considered noncritical.
Ability to contact the key people or their
designated alternates quickly.
Ability of data entry personnel to provide
the input to critical systems by using
alternate sites and different input media.
Availability of peripheral equipment and
processing, such as printers and scanners.
Availability of support equipment, such as
air conditioners and dehumidifiers.
Availability of support: supplies,
transportation, communication.
Distribution of output produced at the
recovery site.
Availability of important forms and paper
stock.
Ability to adapt plan to lesser disasters.
Section 12. Disaster site rebuilding
 Floor plan of data center.
 Determine current hardware needs and possible alternatives. (See Section 4. Inventory profile.)
 Data center square footage, power requirements and security requirements.
 Square footage ________
 Power requirements ________
 Security requirements: locked area, preferably with combination lock on one door.
 Floor-to-ceiling studding
 Detectors for high temperature, water, smoke, fire and motion
 Raised floor
Vendors
 
 
 
 
 
 
Floor plan
Include a copy of the proposed floor plan here.
Section 13. Record of plan changes
Keep your plan current. Keep records of changes to your configuration, your applications, and your
backup schedules and procedures. For example, you can get print a list of your current local
hardware, by typing