Life sciences: business continuity & disaster recovery program
Challenge:
This biopharmaceuticals organization did not have a standardized approach to Disaster Recovery (DR). They had the beginnings of a Business Continuity (BC) program to identify business critical processes, but there was no mechanism to identify the supporting critical technology assets. Furthermore, while there were some one off point solutions here and there for DR, there was no formal DR program across the enterprise. The client needed to develop:
- A comprehensive strategy to provide a DR service for the enterprise
- A sustainable DR governance model and standardized DR plans with clear roles and responsibilities
- A scalable technical solution to protect identified critical technology assets
Solution:
We provided a simple and effective DR approach to ensure that business critical processes and technology resources could be recovered in the event of a service disruption. Our team helped this organization take a significant step forward in the maturity of the DR program through the following activities:
- Integrated with the Business to identify and prioritize business critical applications
- Developed a DR strategy and implementation roadmap
- Established a proactive program with processes to test, train and maintain
- Designed, architected and procured a cloud based DR technical solution
- Developed executable DR plans with easy to follow action plans and clear roles
- Implemented and validated a DR technical solution including an alternate site, network
- Connectivity solution and replication technologies
- Tested and exercised the DR plans and trained all key resources
Results:
Working closely with the organization, we were able to develop and implement the DR strategy, establishing a formalized DR Program within one year. The strategic initiative provided the following benefits:
- Developed the first list of business critical applications and infrastructure services
- Provided a proactive DR program based on business driven requirements
- Established a centrally managed DR service with clear ownership and accountability
- Created standardized plans, procedures and processes
- Implemented a validated DR technical solution to protect and recover applications
- Completed the first technical implementation in the cloud for this organization
- Tested and exercised all of the plans and trained key resources
- Developed an on-going governance model to sustain and maintain the DR program
The information provided here is for general guidance only, and does not constitute the provision of tax advice, accounting services, investment advice, legal advice, or professional consulting of any kind. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional tax, accounting, legal or other competent advisers.