Step 7: Establish an IT DR Steering Committee and Project Planning Team

Step 7: Establish a Steering Committee and Project Planning Team

Before the start of the DR Planning project, the organization will need to identify the key personnel. Important personnel includes the formation of a DR steering committee and bringing together of the DR Planning team.

DR Steering Committee

IC_DR_Step 7_Establish a Steering Committee and Project Planning Team Usually, the Executive Management is the sponsor of the DR Planning project. The committee should appoint senior members of the organization as members of the DR Steering Committee. This steering committee has executive oversight and supervision over the DR project team. This DR Steering Committee usually meets once or twice per month during the initial project. Once the DR planning project is completed, they are required to meet twice to four times per year.

DR Project Team

The Organization DR Coordinator leading the DR project team should include the following members (Organization DR Coordinators) of the organization:

Executive Management.
IT Staff Members.
Members of the Business Unit.
Members of the Support Unit.

Responsibility in DR Planning (IT Staff)

Business Unit/ Function	Responsibility (Assist business on their IT requirement to)
Information Technology	Switch to backup systems.
Voice and Telecommunications	Switch to backup voice and telecommunications systems.
Network Management	Reroute to alternate networks.

Responsibility in DR Planning (Business Unit)

Business Unit/ Function	Responsibility (Develop Procedures to)
Facilities Management	Maintain damaged facilities, acquire new or temporary facilities and provide logistical support to move staff and equipment.
Human Resources	Communicate with employees during a disaster.
Legal Counsel	Review and advise all regulatory and contractual requirements for DR.
Mailroom	Operate at alternate mail room.
Manufacturing and Production	Run alternate manufacturing processes or at alternate locations.
Marketing	Determine how to leverage DR Planning as a marketing tool.
Research and Development	Conduct research and development processes at alternate locations.
Sales	Conduct sales processes at alternate locations.
Shipping and Receiving	Continue to provide shipping and receiving support and facilities.
Public Relations	Facilitate awareness programs and Communicate with external entities during a disaster.

Areas which IT and Networking Management assisting DR Planning Team

Type of Staff	Technology Support Areas
Network management staff	Wide area network and Local area access
	E-mail access
	Data backup and restoring data
	Access for telecommuters and mobile workers
Data center operations staff	Ensure functioning of enterprise applications and business unit-specific applications.
IT security staff	Maintenance of systems security
E-commerce staff	Functioning e-commerce applications, including Web servers, EDI applications, and supply-chain systems

Clear Terms of Reference (TOR)

The Terms of Reference for a DR Planning project can be likened to the syllabus for a course of study. Without an agreed syllabus you will not know what you will be examined in, and the chance of passing is negligible.

DR Planning project management is very much like the lead up to an exam plus the exam itself. You need to know what is expected of you, what specific authority you have as well as what the limits are. All too often, an organization will take a position, which has been ill-defined, if at all, and this is the first step to possible failure.

Reference

Goh, M. H. (2016). A Manager's Guide to Implementing Your IT Disaster Recovery Plan. Business Continuity Management Specialist Series (2nd ed.). Singapore: GMH Pte Ltd.

Extracted from "Chapter 12: Plan Development"

More Information About IT DR Blended Learning

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