BDR-04: Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan

Control Description

On an annual basis, a business continuity and disaster recovery plan is documented and is tested, and any issues are documented and resolved.

Plain Meaning

This control requires organizations to have a comprehensive business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) plan that is:

• Documented annually
• Tested annually to ensure effectiveness
• Updated to address any issues found during testing
• Maintained as a living document

Implementation

1. Document Our BCDR Plan

Create a simple, practical BCDR plan that covers:

Critical Systems Inventory

• List our essential applications and services
• Identify data storage locations and backup systems
• Document key personnel and their contact information

Recovery Procedures

• Step-by-step recovery instructions for each critical system
• Contact information for vendors and service providers
• Escalation procedures for different incident types

Recovery Time Objectives (RTO)

• Define how quickly each system must be restored
• Prioritize systems based on business impact

2. Annual Testing Schedule

Quarterly Mini-Tests

• Test backup restoration procedures
• Verify contact lists are current
• Review and update documentation

Annual Full Test

• Simulate a complete disaster scenario
• Test all recovery procedures end-to-end
• Document any issues or gaps discovered

3. Simple Testing Approach

Backup Restoration Test

# Test database backup restoration
pg_restore -d test_db backup_file.sql

# Test file system backup
tar -xzf backup.tar.gz -C /tmp/test-restore/

# Verify data integrity
sha256sum original_file.txt restored_file.txt

Communication Test

• Test emergency contact procedures
• Verify all team members can access the BCDR plan
• Confirm vendor contact information is current

4. Documentation Template

BCDR Plan Structure

1. Executive Summary
2. Critical Systems Inventory
3. Recovery Procedures
4. Contact Information
5. Testing Schedule
6. Issue Tracking and Resolution

Issue Tracking

• Document any problems found during testing
• Assign responsibility for resolution
• Set deadlines for fixes
• Re-test after implementing solutions

Key Success Factors

1. Keep it Simple: Focus on critical systems only
2. Regular Updates: Review and update quarterly
3. Team Involvement: Ensure all team members understand their roles
4. Document Everything: Record all testing results and issues
5. Continuous Improvement: Use lessons learned to improve the plan

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Over-engineering: Don't create complex procedures that are hard to follow
• Outdated Information: Keep contact lists and procedures current
• No Testing: Regular testing is essential for plan effectiveness
• No Documentation: Always document issues and resolutions

Related Controls

• BDR-05: Access to backup tools is restricted
• BDR-08: Daily incremental backups are performed
• BDR-09: Backups are encrypted using AES