Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery #

Source: OASIS Open Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan.

Overview #

OASIS is committed to maintaining continuity of mission-critical services in the event of unexpected disruptions. This plan applies to all organizational operations including staff, offices, technology infrastructure, and third-party vendors. Every staff member has a role to play in responding to and recovering from incidents.

What Triggers Plan Activation #

The Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) plan may be activated in response to:

• Natural disasters affecting staff or facilities
• Significant IT failures or infrastructure outages
• Cyberattacks or security breaches
• Any other event substantially impacting OASIS operations or services

The (Interim) ED makes the decision to activate the plan.

Staff Roles and Responsibilities #

Executive Leadership ((Interim) ED): Overall accountability for BCDR planning and response. Makes the activation decision and oversees recovery.

BCDR Coordinator: Develops, implements, and tests the BCDR plan on an ongoing basis.

Department Heads / Managers: Responsible for creating and maintaining department-specific continuity plans that integrate with the overall BCDR framework.

IT: Implements disaster recovery procedures for technology infrastructure, including system restoration and data recovery.

Communications: Manages communications to staff, members, stakeholders, and media during and after an incident.

All Staff: Understand their role in the plan, participate in training, and know how to respond when the plan is activated.

Response Procedures #

When the plan is activated, the sequence is:

1. Assess the incident and its potential impact on operations
2. Activate the plan and establish a coordination command center
3. Communicate — notify relevant stakeholders and provide status updates throughout recovery
4. Recover — implement restoration strategies for critical operations and IT systems in priority order, monitoring progress and adjusting as needed

Critical services have designated recovery time objectives. The most critical functions are restored first.

Testing and Maintenance #

The BCDR plan is tested regularly to verify its effectiveness. It is reviewed and updated annually, or following significant organizational changes, incidents, or test findings that reveal weaknesses. Staff should report any gaps or concerns to the BCDR Coordinator.

Training #

OASIS provides ongoing training to ensure all staff understand the plan, their specific roles, and how to respond effectively during an incident. Participation in BCDR training is required for all staff.