The disaster recovery or business continuity practitioner has always recognized the value of advance planning, documentation and testing. Planning without thorough testing is nothing more than assumptions that may or may not be based on fact. Such is the case when it comes to logistics.

Logistics has long been recognized as a component of a disaster recovery plan, particularly when it comes to the following:

1. The movement of backup media and vital records from an off-site storage location to the designated recovery site

2. The relocation of IT and end-user personnel to the same recovery location

3. Transfer of spare or standby computers, communications equipment and supplies to the designated site.

Over the last several years, the scope of disaster recovery planning has been extended to include end-user departments, and the very name itself has evolved to recognize this shift. Business resumption or business continuity are terms that have become synonymous with the more traditional disaster recovery planning. The evolution of the terms is a reflection of what disaster recovery planning is all about - the ability of the business to withstand an unplanned interruption no matter what the root cause.

As service providers, we have been directly involved in a significant number of disaster recovery simulations and have observed companies that have considered the logistics element and those who take it for granted. Afford SANMS the opportunity to provide you with a disaster recovery plan that works for you and doesn't simply follow the curves of the industry.