Will You Recover?

I gained a deep understanding of “disaster recovery” in the best situation imaginable. I was a programmer/analyst for Northern Trust Bank, and for two years worked diligently on our “Y2K” disaster preparedness plan. To say the least, banks cannot afford to lose their data. The fear surrounding Y2K gave me an almost unlimited budget and access to endless resources.

Like so many other organizations, we passed through Y2K without a single glitch. Rather anti-climactic, but I learned a ton about disaster recovery.

I recently heard someone say that the only true currencies in the universe are time and attention. That’s why we “spend time” on things and “pay attention” to things. Interesting.

I’ve come to believe that lost data and other technical “disasters” really stem from neglect. Organizations do not like to “spend time” or “pay attention” on something that may or may not happen. Of course, when disaster strikes, they always wish they had.

I’ll leave you with one question: Can you articulate your “disaster recovery plan?” Can you describe the moving parts? The steps? If not, maybe it’s time to “spend time” and “pay attention” before it’s too late.