It is important to note the distinction between disaster recovery planning and business continuity planning:

• Disaster recovery planning
• Is planning for the restoration of information technology services after an event has disrupted those services.

• Business continuity planning
• Planning how the business will carry on business functions until its normal facilities are restored after a disruptive event. This includes physical facilities (building, office furniture, etc), office supplies, reference materials, procedures to follow until access information technology is restored.

• Disaster recovery planning should be supportive of and subordinate to business continuity planning.

The Information Technology Services Divisions disaster recovery planning is in progress. It is based on the Nebraska Information Technology Commission (NITC) guidelines for disaster recovery planning. An all hazards approach to the planning is being used with the intent that the planning will help prepare the Division for incident regardless of the cause (natural, terrorist, bio-terrorist, etc). Disaster recovery planning is an iterative process. Each iteration progressively provides more refined and encompassing recovery procedures.

Disaster recovery planning and business continuity planning should be viewed as a program rather than a project. It is an ongoing program of planning, validation through exercise and revision based on feedback from the exercise.

Current planning is being performed within the context of a response to a capitol campus failure.

Discussions are currently underway with other agencies to examine the possibility of providing shared services in the area of disaster recovery and/or business continuity.