Business continuity planning is about having tested backup plans that will allow the business to continue to operate even if the current information systems become unavailable due to natural disasters, technical issues, or human error. For example, Chase Bank may contract IBM to have its information systems in Ohio roll over to IBM’s systems in Texas. Ohio suffers a natural disaster that causes a system outage on Chase’s information systems there. Although it sounds simple, it is a challenging task. An organization needs to plan, test, and re-test its business continuity plan, so it can continue to operate without disruption in the event of a major business information systems failure. In this Discussion, you will consider the importance of business continuity planning for an organization.

BY DAY 3

Post an analysis of the risks to your selected organization of not having a business continuity plan in place. In your analysis, include the following:

• Briefly describe the organization you selected, being sure not to reveal the name of the company or any individuals involved. Include whether this is a business that provides services or products (or both) to its customers, how big the company is (small business, midsized company, large corporation), where it operates (locally, regionally, nationally, and/or internationally), and (generally) how it uses information technology to conduct its business.
• Then identify at least seven risks, based on how the organization functions and conducts business, of not having a plan in place in the event of an IT shutdown. Explain which of these you think is the most significant risk to the company and why.