Manager's Guide to Contingency Planning for Disasters ^{2nd Ed.}

With the help of an implementation strategy, guidelines for minimizing development costs, and insights into a proven plan development methodology, Manager's Guide to Contingency Planning for Disasters: Protecting Vital Facilities and Critical Operations help you to:

• Establish a corporate contingency plan policy and strategy that will ensure timely completion of a plan with minimal disruption to operations
• Minimize plan development costs
• Understand the importance of conducting briefings to communicate the proper mindset before the plan development process begins
• Save time and money by avoiding the consultant's traditional approach of extensive information-gathering that contributes little to the development of practical solutions

Remember that you have good people on your management team who don't need a lot of detailed instructions on how to do things in an emergency situation. Precisely "how" they do anything will depend on the specific nature of the disaster and the extent of the damage. Addressing complex hypothetical disaster combinations does not make good business sense. Just prepare "what if" strategies for a worst case and rely on the judgment of your line managers to cope with less severe incidents.

1. Introduction
• Management's Responsibility
• How Much Market Share Will It Cost You?
• Protect Against What?
• Contingency Planning Requires Specialization
• Increased Technology Dependency
• Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
• Interpretation Problems
• Corporate Issue
• Disaster Life Cycle
• Risk Management Program
• Emergency Response Plan
• Business Continuity Strategies
• Discretionary Expense
2. Defining the Problem
• Business Continuity Concerns
• Telephone Communications
• Computer Processing
• Vital Facilities
• Only a Computer Recovery Plan
• Present Plan May Not Work
• Characteristics of a Sound Plan
• Cost Reduction Opportunities
• How to Contain Plan Development  Costs for New Plans
• Where to Look for Cost Reductions in an Existing Computer Disaster Recovery Plan
• Audit Concerns
• Involving Department Managers
• Need for Cost-Effective Solutions
• Backup
3. Awareness and Education
• Business and Environment
• Types of Disasters
• Potential Impact on Business
• Computers
• Remote Data Communications
• Voice Communications
• Vital Facilities
• Loss of Efficiency
• Plan Objectives
• Safeguard Assets
• Prevention
• Organized Response
• Business Continuity
• Cash Flow, Customer Service, and Market Share
• Insurance Considerations
• Insurance Policy versus Disaster Recovery Plan
• What Impacts Insurance Premiums
• How Much Detail?
• Establishing a Firm Foundation
• Key Result Areas
• Approval
• Flexibility
• Maintenance
• Cost Effectiveness
• Business Continuity
• Organized Response
• Responsibility
• Testing
• Convincing Others
• Organizational Needs
• Personal Needs
• Selling Process
• Executive Briefings
• Corporate Contingency Planning Policy ad Strategy
• Disaster Recovery Life Cycle
• Risk Management Program
• Emergency Response Plan
• Business Continuity Strategies
• Corporate Concerns
• Departmental Issues
4. Project Planning
• Policy and Strategy
• Limit Scope
• Which Types of Disasters?
• How Wide an Area?
• Individual Business Units
• Limit the Time Periods
• Surgical Process
• Game Plan
• Establish a Corporate Contingency Planning Policy and Strategy
• Select a Plan Development Methodology
• Communicate Corporate Contingency Planning Policy and Strategy
• Develop "What If" Business Continuity Strategies
• Team Concept
• Organization Chart
• Telephone Directory
• Auditors' Comments
• Prototype Plans
5. Business Impact Analysis
• Objective
• What Is Really Critical
• A Word of Caution
• Awareness and Education
• Mindset
• Education
• Cost
• Regulatory Agency Reporting Requirements
• Window
6. Implementation Strategy
• Tailor Presentations
• Role of Senior Management
• Role of a Steering Committee
• Role of Department Managers
• Role of First-Line Supervisors
• Role of Outside Specialists
• Develop Plan with First-Line Supervisors
• How Long Can You Do Without?
• How Would You Survive?
• Industry Examples
• Obtain Department Managers' Approval
• Present Findings
• Noncomputerized Business Functions
• Telephones
• Buildings
7. Plan Development: The Myers Process
• Philosophy and Methodology
• Why It Has Worked
• Setting the Stage for Success
• Plan Requirements
• Prevention
• Recovery
• Accountability
• Audit
• Plan Development Steps
• Key Tasks
• Focus on Essential Business Functions, Not Technology
• Protect Ongoing Needs
• Emphasize the Low Probability of a Major Disaster
• Link Low Probability with the Need for Low-Cost, Simple Solutions
• Analyze Alternate Business Continuity Strategies
• Developing "What If" Business Continuity Strategies
• Identify Vital Records
• Evaluate Alternative Operating Strategies
• Finalize Alternate Business Continuity Strategies
• Obtain Department Managers' Approval of Alternate Business Continuity Strategies
• Computer Processing Alternatives
• Accounts Payable
• Accounts Receívable
• Billing
• Cost Accounting
• Customer Service
• Engineering
• Fixed Assets
• General Ledger
• Human Resources
• Inventory Management
• Material Requirements Planning
• Order Processing
• Payroll
• Production Scheduling
• Purchasing
• Receiving
• Shipping
• Documentation
• Policy
• Strategy
• Executive Summary
• Risk Management Program
• Emergency Response Plan
• Stabilization Period
• Maintenance, Preparedness Reviews, and Testing
• Cost Benefits
• Lower Plan Development Costs
• Minimization/Avoidance of Back-up Computer Subscription Fees
• Lower Plan Maintenance Costs 
• Lower Testing Costs
• Corporate Benefits
• Sound Strategy for Plan Development
• Focus Is on Keeping the Business Running
• Auditors Are Supportive Sponsors
• Resolves What Is Critical
8. Maintenance, Education, and Testing
• Objectives
• Maintenance
• Normal Operations
• Emergency Response
• "What If" Business Continuity Stratgeues
• Continuing Education and Preparedness Reviews
• Planning
• Examination
• Education
• Feedback
• Technology Testing
• Planning
• Conduct the Test
• Feedback Summaries
9. Guidelines for Internal Consultants and Consulting Firms
• Background
• Objectives and Scope
• Section I: Organization
• Placement of the Contingency Planning Activity
• Organizational Functions
• Section II: Standards for Implementation Planning
• Methods Standards
• Performance Standards
• Section III: Standards for Developing Business Continuity Strategies
• Methods Standards
• Performance Standards
• Section IV: Documentation Standards
• Methods Standards
• Performance Standards
• Section V: Standards for Ongoing Maintenance and Testing
• Methods Standards
• Performance Standards

1. Case Studies
2. Sample Computer Contingency Plan
3. Sample Business Continuity Strategies

The emphasis of this book is on Manager's. It gives an overview for line and executive management what CP/DR is about. I personally doubt that any senior manager will read a book like this, but it is worth a try.

The book is a factually correct overview of the area, but is definetely not for any security professional worth his/her name.

A caveat is in order as well: the author tries to sell his methodology for CP/DR, which he is very certain to tell you is copyrighted as a method. Personally I don't like hard sells while trying to educate myself…