BCDR Testing and Exercise Procedure ([RES-PROC-007])
1. Purpose
To detail the mandates for planning, executing, and documenting annual disaster recovery tests and business continuity exercises.
2. Scope
This procedure applies to all components of the Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) program, including the BCP, DRP, and associated teams.
3. Overview
This procedure ensures that the organization’s BCDR plans are effective and up-to-date by mandating a regular testing cycle. It covers the creation of an annual test plan, the execution of various test scenarios, and the formal documentation of results and lessons learned to drive continuous improvement.
4. Procedure
| Step | Who | What |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business Continuity Manager | At the beginning of each year, create an annual BCDR test plan that includes a schedule and specific scenarios (e.g., tabletop exercise, full DR simulation, call tree test). |
| 2 | Business Continuity Manager | Coordinate with all mandated participants (e.g., DR Team, Business Unit Leaders, IRT) and ensure necessary resources are available for each scheduled test. |
| 3 | Test Participants | Execute the test according to the defined plan and scenario, documenting all actions, decisions, and outcomes as they occur. |
| 4 | Business Continuity Manager | Following the test, create a formal post-exercise report that includes an analysis of the test, findings, lessons learned, and recommendations for plan improvements. |
5. Standards Compliance
| Procedure Step(s) | Standard/Framework | Control Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | SOC 2 | A1.3 |
| 1-4 | HIPAA Security Rule | 45 CFR § 164.308(a)(7)(ii)(D) |
6. Artifact(s)
- A completed annual test plan.
- A post-exercise report with lessons learned for each test conducted.
7. Definitions
Tabletop Exercise: A discussion-based session where team members meet in an informal, classroom setting to discuss their roles during an emergency and their responses to a particular emergency situation.
Full DR Simulation: A comprehensive test where the organization’s IT systems are actually failed over to the disaster recovery site and operated from there for a period of time.
8. Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Business Continuity Manager | Owns the overall testing process, from planning and coordination to creating the final post-exercise report. |
| Test Participants | Actively engage in the test execution according to their defined BCDR roles and responsibilities. |
| BCDR Steering Committee | Reviews and approves the annual test plan and post-exercise reports. |