The classifications have been defined in the Scope of Business Continuation Plan.
They have been divided into four categories named Category I to Category IV. They include;Critical Functions (to be restored within hours of a disaster), Essential Functions (to be restored within weeks of a disaster), Necessary Functions, as well as Desirable Functions which are important to MIT administrative processing, and they can be suspended for the duration of the emergency. BCP is maintained by frequent assessments to the continuing plan with regard to the resource changes. This is done by the Team Coordinators through updates and tests to the document as well as personnel training. A quarterly formal review of the plan to verify changes is also done systematically; then, a complete annual review follows for a thorough revision.
All approved personnel are given the new plans in exchange with the old ones. Additionally, Administrative Computing Steering Committee receives annual status reports on continuity planning prepared by the Coordinators. The BCP identifies hardware and software critical to rcover the Business and/or Functions. Provision of Pagers to the Business Continuity Management Team and a back-up cellular phone to every Duty Person is done.
A description of the procedures for using the equipment to monitor the state of affairs and decide the likelihood to influence the processing ability is provided. A voice mail information number (617) is also available for reporting recovery status and information warnings.The BCP uses support equipment like a manual called the “Black Book”, which is used to record the existing Physical Plant emergency procedures, and kept up by the Physical Plant. Also, a Notification Listwhich contains the managers’ and personnel’s names and telephone numbers of managers and personnel is kept. These people must be notified in the event of a disaster.
Additionally, Administrative Computing Steering Committee receives annual status reports on continuity planning prepared by the Coordinators. Alternate sites have been mentioned in the BCP to supplement the recovery and restoration process. They include: Emergency Operations Center, Central Administration buuilding out of service, Hot Sites (Operational data centers providing emergency computing resources), and Shell Sites (Computer conditioned space available to install equipment). The most critical or important data that have been backed up are data recovery equipment. It begins with the commencement of FARM Team plans for outages lasting many hours.
Processing continues at the data center or the hot site with reference to the extent of damage; then, the data center resumes full operation. By the help of a shell facility, a second stage of back-up might be used if the impaired area needs lengthier construction episodes. Backing up of the MIT telecommunications network is also done.Annually, the Team reviews the overall status of the recovery plan and report on this status, through the Information Security Officer, to the Administrative Computing Steering Committee. The Business Continuity Management Team is ultimately responsible for BCP since it is encompasses top-cream managers in MIT administration with every one of them having dynamic duties for the continuation of business.
