Will a Disaster Force You to Close Your Doors?

The retail industry is sadly lacking when it comes to business continuity, says a top supply chain expert, but the wise retailer who makes information security and disaster recovery an integral part of the entire IT cycle is the retailer who keeps its doors open in the face of disaster.

In a recent article on the Executive Technology Web site, Albert J. Bolet, a principal in supply chain consulting firm Kurt Salmon Associates, argues that ignoring disaster recovery will prevent continued operation in the event of a disaster. Retailers are traditionally reluctant to invest in this area, but Bolet says those organizations are taking a big risk.

Bolet says operations should address business continuity during their annual business and IT planning cycle. He lists five different questions an organization should ask itself to assess its disaster readiness, including:

What information is required to support key business processes and where does that information reside?

If the data on all computers that are not routinely backed up were destroyed, what would the impact be on its operations?

To what level does its operation depend on customer access to its business' information?

How will it provide that access in the event of major disruption or degradation of service capability?

What would the impact be to its operations if e-mail and Internet access were shut down or degraded, or its phones did not work?

Bolet also offers readers an overview of some of the most important components of a disaster recovery plan. To find out more and read his full article, Click HERE>>