1. Background to Contingency Planning

Definitions

Disaster recovery

The recovery of technical environments, such as I.T. systems, networks and communications equipment, following an unplanned interruption. (Not normally used to describe the recovery of business processes, manual procedures or tangible assets).

Business continuity

'Continuity of business' means that the business continues without interruption. This term should be used only when the business is able to continue, without interruption or break, following a 'disaster'.

Business resumption

'Resumption of business' infers that the business has been interrupted by the 'disaster'. The business resumption plans will enable the business to resume its operations, in accordance with a pre-determined schedule.

Contingency planning

The term indicates that various contingency or 'precautionary' measures have been pre-planned to limit the effects of a 'disaster' and to assist in restoring normal business operations, in accordance with a pre-determined schedule.

The following abbreviations have been used throughout these guidelines:

BC (or bc) - Business Continuity
BCP (or bcp) - Business Continuity Plan
BIA (or bia) - Business Impact Analysis
I.T. - Information Technology
24x7 - continuous access - 24 hours per day - 7days per week

These Guidelines address BC planning topics. They also contain references to disaster recovery issues.