Business continuity planning for digital records

Business continuity refers to measures that are necessary for the swift and
efficient resumption of normal business operations and nor mal service
delivery after an emergency.
Business continuity planning for records
A process which seeks to enable business continuity, and contains procedures,
information and resource identification that are ready to use in the event of an
emergency or disaster affecting an agencys records, records management or
recordkeeping systems. It is the process of preparing for, mitigating, responding to
and recovering from a disaster.
Why plan for business continuity
An organization which fails to provide a minimum level of service to
its clients following a disaster event may not have a business to
recover
Customers may go to a competitor
Funding may disappear
A need may be re-evaluated and deemed unnecessary

Business continuity can be achieved through the management of vital

records
MANAGING VITAL RECORDS
Vital records are referred to in another word as Emergency Operations
Records: Needed during an Emergency
Must be immediately accessible
Should be immediately available electronically off-site
For Example:

Website & E-Mail - To communicate with and provide information to

your employees and your customers Have website and e-mail your
customers. Have website and e-mail access available from alternate
site
Database with up-to-date emergency contact information for all staff

Vital records management program

A vital records program identifies and protects those records that specify
how an agency will operate in an agency will operate in an emergency or
disaster, those records necessary to the continued operations of the
continued operations of the agency, and those records needed to protect the
legal and financial rights of the government and citizens.
Vital records program elements are :
Records Selection
Records Protection
Program Implementation
Identifying Vital Records
Records That Might Be Designated as Essential or Vital
i.

Emergency Response; health, and safety of staff e.g

Contingency plans, procedures, Emergency Delegations of authority,

Building plans, computer, utility system manuals, Emergency purchase
procedures
ii.

Necessary to resume or continue operations e.g

Insurance, payroll, accounts payable and receiv-able, bonds, notes;

Delegation of authority, temporary purchase ; Current ordinances, laws,
policies, directives; Computer program and system documentation,
unpublished manuals; Forms for applications, licenses, permits, tax
payments
iii.

Legal and Financial Rights Records; related to health, safety, property,

and rights of the organization, its employees and third party eg Birth
and death certificates, burial permits, mar-riage licenses; Voter
registration lists; Deeds, mortgages, land records; Property value
assessments; Licenses, permits issued/applications; Case files;
Adoptions; Changes of name; Taxes (paid, unpaid, pending, abated,
liens); Document the history of the org; Annual reports summarizing
the organizations activity; Audit reports; Minutes of meeting

Disasters that can affect electronic records include:

Natural events such as earthquakes, cyclones, bushfires, floods
and vermin plagues.

Structural or building failure such as malfunctioning sprinklers,

leaks in roofs, poor wiring and power surges.
Industrial accidents such as nuclear or chemical spills.
Technological disasters such as viruses and computer equipment
failures.
Criminal behaviour such as theft, arson, espionage, malicious
computer hacking, vandalism, riots, terrorism and war; and
Accidental loss through human error, unsuitable storage
conditions (e.g. storage of magnetic media near electronic
equipment generating strong magnetic fields) or by the natural
decay of materials (e.g. corrosion of poor quality compact disks).
Core counter disaster strategies for the protection of electronic records:

Duplication and dispersal of vital electronic records.

Transfer records of archival value to the national archives as soon
as they are no longer required for business needs.
Regular and comprehensive system backups.
Preservation of systems and application documentation and
passwords.
Secure storage facilities for digital devices, including fire and
water resistant housings and appropriate environmental controls.
High standards of systems security to prevent electronic records
from being unlawfully altered or destroyed and to safeguard
against computer viruses
Procedures for managing critical work in progress which may not
be backed up or which is located outside storage facilities.

Disaster recovery procedures should:

Provide advice on recommended handling procedures and preservation

techniques for damaged digital media.
Enable the timely re-establishment of vital computer systems and
critical data.
Make arrangements for data integrity checking to ensure salvaged
electronic records are intact.
Ensure access to specialized data recovery services.
Ensure that vital electronic records are restored as quickly as possible.

Disaster recovery

Challenges and benefits of managing digital records