Cary Jasgur
Assistant Director, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
The George Washington University
Every organization at one point or another has performed one or more exercises in a given calendar year. They also realize the costs associated with performing these exercise. What if there was a way to save money from the overall business continuity budget and increase readiness at the same time? Well there is, the solution is a consolidated exercise concept. The consolidated exercise allows an organization to combine all of their functional exercises into one annual exercise. While doing this the organization saves money and increases readiness. Through the consolidated exercise solution an organization will perform their exercises only once a year. This reduces exercise associated costs and provides an overall increase on readiness. Through this process, an organization develops a better understanding of their overall recoverability. There is a greater realization of risk associated with recovery since all critical systems and business functions are being recovered simultaneously rather than during individual exercise windows. The assumptions made in any exercise are tested at a higher level during a consolidated exercise, thus allowing for plans with more realistic risks and assumptions.
Learning Points:
- Processes and tools available for establishing a successful consolidated exercise program within any organization, as well as creating the business case to sell the concept to the management team.
- Outline the risk reduction by holding a consolidated exercise and how to firm up overall exercise assumptions, resulting in more accurate continuity plans.
- Review standards and past successes from organizations that identify how to create and market a consolidated exercise program. Session highlights include risk consolidation, more accurate exercise assumptions, reduced overall exercise costs and increased readiness.