Meeting the challenge of uncertain times

Meeting the challenge of uncertain times:

Many organisations have still to translate their business continuity plans from hard-copy format into a technology-driven total business continuity process, says Monica Visconti.

Never has it been brought home more forcefully than now that, in times of great threat and danger, processes need to be firmly in place to ensure full business continuity in the wake of a disaster or emergency.

With the possibility of a future terrorist attack ever present in people’s minds, the ability for businesses to be swiftly back up and running, should an incident occur, is now seen as critical.

Across businesses everywhere, this imperative has of late been at the heart of their strategic thinking. Yet many organisations have still to translate their business continuity plans, however well developed and considered they may be, from hard-copy format into a technology-driven total business continuity process.

Implementing such processes grows increasingly urgent, for the need to have an automated business continuity plan in place is driven by many factors other than the more high-profile concerns now commanding public attention.

Few business strategists would dispute the fact that today’s organisations depend on all manner of technologies for business agility. Indeed, in 2001 Thomas Ridge, director of US Homeland Security revealed how far information technology has wormed its way into our lives when he pointed out the Americans rely on a complex network of critical infrastructure and information systems. Shut down the infrastructure, he warned, and you shut down America.

Apart from acts of terrorism, there are a multitude of scenarios that can have a devastating impact on the day-to-day operations and future viability of any organisation. All operations are vulnerable to industrial accidents, human error, power and network outages, flooding and storm damage, as well as the increasingly sophisticated activities of cyber-terrorists.

Moreover, these are not future threats – they are the constant reality that every business organisation lives with and that can happen at any time.

Monica Visconti is strategic marketing manager, Remedy UK. Remedy UK are exhibiting at the Helpdesk & IT Support Show 2004. This features over 70 exhibitors and a free education programme of 50 independent and vendor led seminars. Now in its 8th year The Helpdesk & IT Support Show 2004 runs from 27th to 29th April 2004, at the National Hall, Olympia, London.