Word of the Day: business continuity plan (BCP)

Word of the Day Daily updates on the latest technology terms |November 7, 2017

business continuity plan (BCP) A business continuity plan (BCP) is a document that consists of the critical information an organization needs to continue operating during an unplanned event. The BCP should state the essential functions of the business, identify which systems and processes must be sustained, and detail how to maintain them. It should take into account any possible business disruption. With risks ranging from cyberattacks to natural disasters to human error, it is vital for an organization to have a business continuity plan to preserve its health and reputation. A proper BCP decreases the chance of a costly outage. While IT administrators often create the plan, the participation of executive staff can aid the process, adding knowledge of the company, providing oversight and helping to ensure the BCP is regularly updated. A BCP should contain the following items: Initial data, including important contact information, located at the beginning of the plan Revision management process that describes change management procedures Purpose and scope How to use the plan, including guidelines as to when the plan will be initiated Policy information Emergency response and management Step-by-step procedures Checklists and flow diagrams Schedule for reviewing, testing and updating the plan Read more... Quote of the Day "To get the most out of your business continuity plan, you should integrate its upkeep into your daily operations and activities." - Paul Kirvan   Trending Terms risk management business impact analysis disaster recovery plan business continuity software business continuity management emergency management plan   Learning Center Sample business continuity plan template for small businesses Are you lacking a business continuity plan or aren't sure where to start? Download our free sample business continuity plan template for small businesses. Business continuity planning steps to keep your organization running These 11 business continuity planning steps provide a comprehensive look at what you need to ensure continual operation during an incident. Disaster recovery and business continuity plans require updating It's not necessary to update disaster recovery and business continuity plans all at once, but it is crucial to review them regularly. How does business resilience differ from business continuity? Business resilience has become a prominent element of disaster recovery, but the strategy can't work without a business continuity plan. Essential guide to business continuity and disaster recovery plans Every year, our readers report a lack of confidence in their disaster recovery plan. If you are in that boat, this collection of our best BC/DR content can help. Writing for Business A business continuity plan ______ a number of activities that business continuity software systems can help facilitate and organize. a. comprise b. compose Answer   Stay In Touch For feedback about any of our definitions or to suggest a new definition, please contact me at: mrouse@techtarget.com   Visit the Word of the Day Archives and catch up on what you've missed!   FOLLOW US About This E-Newsletter This e-newsletter is published by the TechTarget network. To unsubscribe from Whatis.com, click here. Please note, this will not affect any other subscriptions you have signed up for. TechTarget, Whatis, 275 Grove Street, Newton, MA 02466. Contact: webmaster@techtarget.com Copyright 2016 TechTarget. All rights reserved.