So What About the Bird Flu A Pragmatists Guide to Business Continuity Planning in Tertiary Education

1
So What About the Bird Flu!A Pragmatists Guide
to Business Continuity Planning in Tertiary
Education

• ATEM Conference - Tauranga
• 4 July 2006

Peter Sherwin Director, Arahanga Associates
Limited
2
What Do the Terms Mean and Whats the Difference?

• DRP a plan to get stuff going again
• BCP a plan to keep the business running while
  someones getting the stuff going again.
• Can include IT and/or any other facet of the
  business

3
Why?

• Because Audit NZ says so
• Because standing beside the Fire Engine in the
  carpark at 200am is not an ideal place to be
  making decisions!
• It is a Script,
• Hopefully never a Screenplay!

4
What it Doesnt Include

• Natural Disaster, Pandemic or Civil Defence
  Emergency

5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
What it Doesnt Include

• Natural Disaster, Epidemic or Civil Defence
  Emergency
• Industrial Action However it should include
  other human resource issues e.g. unavailability
  of a staff group due to accident or disaster.
• Minor issues or detail more detail greater
  maintenance, less ownership, higher cost, etc

8
Some General Principles

• Keep it Simple
• Maximum length 50 pages!!

9
WE CAN MAKE THIS THING AS BIG AS AFRICA IF WE TRY
10
Some General Principles

• Keep it Simple
• Maximum length 50 pages!!
• But it does need to be yours you cant borrow
  someone elses.
• Rely on common sense
• Need management commitment
• Need time to put it together
• Dont ask for a major effort from staff unless
  specialist info
• Only issues that may result in business
  interruption
• Not risk management but may identify some risks
  along the way

11
Process

• Policy
• Build on existing processes
• Meet with each unit
• Identify disasters/risks
• Estimate downtime thresh-hold
• Brainstorm continuity strategy
• Identify potential barriers and address
• Identify/negotiate reciprocal arrangements
• Pull together document
• Assign responsibility

12
Reciprocal Agreements

• Forget the My Patch, My Problem, Ill Fix It
  Attitude
• Other ITPs, Schools, PTEs
• Defines the scope
• May include staff
• Nominated contact person build the relationship
  now
• Doesnt oblige parties to carry redundant
  capacity
• principles to avoid opportunism
• Ongoing but reconfirmed annually

13
Ongoing Reporting/Management/Maintenance

• Who?
• How?
• How Often
• Testing

14
So What About the Bird Flu?

• The experts say that there is still a significant
  risk of avian flu becoming pandemic
• Estimated 40 of NZ will get it, 2 deaths
• Most susceptible healthy adults
• Likely window of about 2 3 months

15
What Will the Likely Effect Be?

• Movement control mandatory closure
• Were not an essential industry
• Those who dont contract the disease may well be
  looking after others who do.

16
What Should We Do?

• Plan now for a controlled shut-down of your
  organisation
• How will you do it?
• What resources and data need to be secure?
• Staff salaries
• Other accounts?
• The catch-up is likely to be a national issue
• Educate your staff and students
• Keep well
• Vaccinations
• Good hygiene practices
• Store food and paracetamol

17
Many Thanks Have a Safe Trip Home