Backup & Cyber Recovery Expert | AKA "Mr. Backup" | O'Reilly Author | Podcast Host (The Backup Wrap-up) | Technical Evangelist
So you have a DR runbook. What's in it and is it up to date? A disaster recovery runbook serves as the detailed game plan for restoring systems during business continuity events, and they can (and should be) quite involved. Key elements to include in your runbook include system inventories, step-by-step recovery procedures, staff/vendor contacts, and escalations procedures and contacts. It's also not as simple as writing one, and then shelving it. Runbooks need active maintenance to reflect your current infrastructure, vendor relationships, DR services, staff contacts, and recovery plans. Don't forget configuration changes as well. Don't let outdated documentation sink your response time! For those who have written and used runbooks, what do you think? What's the best way to ensure your DR/IR runbook stays up to date? #cybersecurity #ransomware #DisasterRecovery #backup
Mitch Schwartz
7mo
Make DR updates/testing part of your change control workflow. That works both ways too. I remember a long time ago I was audited on a change control for a storage volume I created. I said I couldn’t produce the desired result because in a later change control ticket, I had destroyed the volume.
1) practice via table tops 2) Actually perform the procedures 3) Have non-specialists perform the operations defined in the run book 4) integrate change control operations into BC/DR operations. 5) rinse and repeat.
Matthew T. Burns
6mo
Testing it and frequently!
Technology Visionary, Chief Evangelist, Storyteller, Strategist, Product Management, Product Marketing & Competitive Intel. #MrRecovery
7moHire a consultant? 🤣 I haven't found anything that comes close to automating this process. It requires discipline and is part of the employee's role or MBOs. Plain and simple. You and I know the DR Plan used to be obsolete within three months, but now that is 24-48 hours.