4.6 Applying MSTA, Minimalist Theory to the Development of Recovery Plans

The “Minimal Step, Targeted Approach” (MSTA) objective is to ensure that all current and historical data and intrinsically valuable items are replicated, or capable of replication within an acceptable time frame, at two locations that are, ideally, several kilometres apart. Items that cannot be replicated are indexed and profiled, electronically and then physically protected.

Having already determined the number of key staff required at the recovery site (Section 4.4 - Identifying key resources) and chosen an appropriate recovery strategy (Section 4.5 - Choosing a recovery strategy), the IT and communications recovery infrastructure is designed and installed.

Only vital and critical business processes are considered for inclusion in the initial re-start schedule. The recovery infrastructure must be designed and implemented by professional IT staff, who have appropriate knowledge and experience.

Strategies for developing recovery procedures for less critical processes, after the occurrence of a disaster, are outlined in the plan. But recovery resources for these 'deferrable' processes are not pre-equipped unless they could not be obtained within an acceptable time period following a disaster.