Developing a Disaster Recovery Plan

Bb World ’06San Diego, Calif.Poster SessionPresented by Crystal Nielsen, M.A.Instructional TechnologistNorthwest Nazarene UniversityNampa, Idaho

March 1, 2006

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Context: Overall Network

This poster will outline clear, practical steps for preparing a business continuity/disaster recovery plan for the Blackboard system in the context of an organization's overall network.This is but one way to approach the development of such a plan. Adapt it to fit your needs.

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1. Brainstorm

Discuss possible scenarios and likely repercussions

What disasters are possible on your campus? Think beyond fires and floods. Are you in a flight path? What about faults and failures? Loss of power? Economic disaster? Security breach?

What is the likely fallout? Would data be recoverable? Who is needed to help?

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2. Outline

Flesh out what network services are provided and in what order they must be restored

Beyond Blackboard, components could include web servers, administrative software, e-mail, Internet services, telephone network, data repositories, and print services

Executive-level administrators may need to assign priorities

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3. Document

Gather documentation in both hard copy and electronic form

Fill in the Bb Operations Workbook, found with a completion guide at Behind the Blackboard, to give disaster survivors an accurate picture of your particular Bb installation.

Download all applicable Bb manuals and resources such as the Administrator Manual, Authentication Manual, Data Integration Manual, Release Notes, etc.

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3. Document, cont.

Gather documentation Compile contact information about Bb

representatives, colleagues from Bb community, and Building Block vendors

Compile job descriptions for campus Bb admins, instructional designers, help desk, and other related personnel

Keep compilations in a thumb drive and hard-copy folders off-site.

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4. Define

Develop recovery scenarios based on possible disasters specific to your site

This step should encompass three main concerns: Levels – Disaster impact to campus

systems Categories – Importance of systems to

provide and restore Stages – The groups of steps needed to

restore systems and services

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4. Define, cont.

Develop recovery scenarios First, consider Level of disaster

Level Description

Zero Concern is human safety only; all services are operational

1 Up to and including loss of a single building, particularly the building housing the servers

2 Two or more buildings lost; could likely mean a loss of people as well

3 Campuswide (Note: Planning for this level may be beyond your scope)

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4. Define, cont.

Develop recovery scenarios Second, consider Category of

importance Category Description

1- Critical

Loss of this service or capability will severely impact campus operations if not restored within __ hours

2- Essential

This loss will have a serious impact on the campus if not restored within __ to __ days

3-Necessary

This loss will limit effectiveness of campus operations if not restored within __ days

4- Desirable

For the duration of the emergency, this loss may be accommodated by providing alternate means or delaying processing for the time required

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4. Define, cont.

Develop recovery scenarios Third, consider Stages needed to

restore systems and services Example: The building housing servers

is damaged or destroyed1. Ascertain what has been lost, referring to

inventory of operations, facilities and equipment

2. Move to second location to restore equipment as prioritized

3. Begin providing services as prioritized

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5. Designate

Assign personnel to specific tasks Example:

Disaster Recovery Team Coordinator

Operations Recovery Coordinator

Business Recovery Coordinator

Special Operations Recovery Coord.

Operations Recovery Team Members

Business Recovery Team Members

Special Ops Recovery Team Members

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5. Designate, cont.

Assign personnel to specific tasks Operations Recovery team - restoring

the team’s computer systems, networks, telephones and applications; storing backups.

Business Recovery team - finding a place to relocate staff, recovering records, assigning personnel, salvaging and restoring facilities; providing supplies.

Special Operations Recovery team - optional for unique operational needs.

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6. Write

Put the plan on paper Flesh out in detail the personnel

requirements and procedures you have discussed, and take inventories.

Write a first draft, then gather staff to review it. Many heads are better than one, but they work better if given something tangible to refine.

Seek necessary administrative approvals.

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7. Test

Practice the plan and refine it At least annually, attempt a restoration

based only on data and documentation stored off-site.

If needed, train team members in their tasks.

Keep the plan up-front. It won’t work if no one knows about it or where to find it during a disaster.

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Further ResourcesGeneral plan adapted with permission from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’sFARM Team Plan Development TemplatePublic Distribution Version

http://web.mit.edu/bcmt/template_public.pdf

B2bContinuity.comhttp://www.b2bcontinuity.com/disasterrecoveryplanning.html

University of Torontohttp://www.utoronto.ca/security/documentation/

business_continuity/dis_rec_plan.htm

Disaster Recovery Journalhttp://www.drj.com/new2dr/articles.htm