Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) refers to a set of processes, plans, and policies designed to help organizations recover from disasters and ensure the continuation of business operations. It encompasses strategies for dealing with various disruptions, including cyberattacks, natural disasters, and hardware failures, aiming to minimize operational and financial losses.

A BCDR plan is crucial for several reasons: it helps businesses survive disasters, minimizes downtime, and protects sensitive data. For instance, with 40% of servers experiencing at least one outage annually, and a single hour of downtime costing mid-sized enterprises around $300,000, having a BCDR plan can significantly reduce potential losses. Additionally, it ensures employee safety and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Building a BCDR plan involves several steps: first, assemble a critical response team; second, conduct a risk assessment and business impact analysis to identify potential risks and their impacts; third, develop recovery strategies based on these findings; fourth, formalize the plan in a documented format; and finally, continuously test and revise the plan to ensure its effectiveness. Regular testing helps identify gaps and keeps employees familiar with their roles during a disaster.