What does this manual need to contain?

An introduction to creating the Recovery Manual.

Yes have it on line for easy access, but give four key people a hard copy for them to keep at home. In the event of a disaster, when there is no office, not power there are the means to start the recovery.

What does this manual need to contain?

Staff

Staff emergency contact information.

Staff roles and responsibilities.

Any good company should already be training other staff to be able to do the jobs of key personnel. No one person should hold information and abilities that only they can do.

External contacts

The power is down, who is your sparky, who is their back up?

The plumbing is broken, who do you call?

Internet is down, computers are down, server is dead. Where is the geek? What if they are run off their feet, do they have a backup person?

What if any of these people have died in the disaster! How many layers deep is your protection.

There is a very important section of information that is often over looked. This is the general information about your business that you do not use your self. What is the router username and password to get access to the Internet? What is your Telecom, Telstra, Vodafone access account number/name and password.

Processes

How do you restore a server that is off, and once it is up what tests need to be done to ensure the integrity of data? You do not want to be operating on a system that is found two days later to have corrupted data.

How do you restore a backup and test it's integiryt?

You have a new computer, what needs to be done to it to make it business ready?

Where are all the license codes, Microsoft, Oracle etc.