Our increasing reliance on technology is making us much more efficient, effective and vulnerable to business interruptions. The person ultimately responsible is the Chief Information Officer (CIO). With the potential for significant impacts to business processes there is an ever increasing need for Business Continuity Planning (BCP) or in government it is called Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP).
This Government Technology article Business Continuity: Inadequate Planning Affects CIOs captures many of the issues being faced today. Starting with inadequate planning based on the risk. I love the fact that it mentioned having the public-private partnerships in place before a disaster. The article was shared by Scott Chapman.
I remember when "backing up your system" meant taking the backup reels off and storing them in "the same room" as the computer and originals. I would not be surprised if that isn't happening still in some places today.
Recently someone made a comment on a posting I did on using technology in the EOC. Their point was that you still need paper systems. I don't disagree totally with that comment. In King County we still maintained display boards lining the walls of the Coordination Room as a back-up. But guys--we have to get with the program and enter into the 21st Century.
