Testing Incident Response, BCP, and DRP
Regular testing and exercises are very important for determining the continued adequacy and effectiveness of the BCP and the DRP. It helps to validate the compatibility of the offsite facility to support the organization in the event of a disaster. Testing the BCP helps determine its effectiveness and identify any gaps therein, thereby providing an opportunity to improve the plan.
Types of Tests
The following are some of the important methods for testing the BCP and DRP:
Checklist Review
This test is performed prior to a real test. A checklist is provided to all members of the recovery team for review and for ensuring that the checklist is up to date.
Structured Walk-through
This includes a review of the BCP and DRP on paper. Team members review each step to evaluate the effectiveness of the plans. Identified gaps, deficiencies, and constraints are addressed to improve the plans.
Simulation Test
In this type of test, a...
