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Testing the SPAN Disaster

Recovery Plan
[Type the document subtitle]
Fred Joku
5/29/2013


Testing the Disaster Recovery Plan

Overview

From a management perspective, the primary objective of Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) testing is to evaluate whether or not
the DRP is capable of restoring one or more business-critical processes to functionality within a specified period of time. At the
end of the day a series of successful tests provides a high level of assurance for the stakeholders, preferably with minimal
associated costs and no disruption of services.

From the recovery practitioners perspective, the audit and analysis of DRP testing provides key input into the maintenance of a
functional DRP. Particularly in the IT world, a successful DRP is a highly dynamic document. Multiple input variables must be
considered; hardware, software and business process life cycling, configuration management, recent regulatory and legal
implications, risk analysis of newly identified threats, vulnerabilities and safeguards.

Cyclic, process based recovery testing provides a pathway to DRP maintenance and validation. A cyclic testing strategy
employing multiple testing methodologies while increasing in complexity can provide adequate, cost-effective assessment for
all input variables with minimal service disruption. The cyclic testing strategy includes these phases of testing:
1. Checklist Testing
2. Walk Through Testing
3. Simulation Testing (Advanced Testing)
4. Parallel Testing (Advanced Testing)
5. Full-Interruption Testing (Advanced Testing)






There will always be surprises, unexpected results and alterations required from any recovery test. The ultimate goal is
reducing the sources of error in the more advanced testing methods by effectively utilizing the relatively inexpensive Checklist
and Walk Through testing procedures early in the cycle. It is important to note that the test cycle can consist of one or more of
the advanced testing methods. A Test Cycle should consist of a minimum of three phases, a Checklist, Walkthrough and at
least one of the advanced testing methods.
Testing Phases and Tasks
Listed below, are the SPAN DRP testing tasks that need to be done for each phase. The tasks are taken out of the DRP
document. Simulation and Parallel Testing phases have been merged together as these phases require the use of another DR
Instance. For SPAN DRP testing in UAT, Phases 1 and 2 ( Checklist and Walk Through) can be done earlier and Phase 4 ( Full-
Interruption) done at the end of UAT stage. Simulation/Parallel Testing may not be done because it may require more effort,
resources .


1. Checklist Testing
a. Verify Disaster Recovery Team Roles and Responsibilities
i. Executive Leadership Team
ii. DR Management Action Team
iii. Technical Support Team
iv. Operations Support Team
v. User Support Team
b. Check and Verify Emergency Call Tree
c. Check and Verify Telephone number listing / email addresses are current
d. Check and Ensure Completeness of Hardware and Software Configuration Documents
e. Check and Ensure Copies of Operation Manuals are available
f. Check and Ensure Tape/Disk Libraries are sufficient and current with existing environment
g. Check and sure copies of DRP are available and at appointed locations

2. Structured Walk Through Testing ( In a meeting and with a larger subset of team members) Walk through
the specific steps of each component of DRP as documented)
a. Confirm Data Center Sites
b. Verify Environment
i. Pre-requisite requirements
ii. Synchronization Links
iii. Data Synchronizations Mechanism
iv. Backup Operations
c. Check DR Plan
i. DR Plan assumptions
ii. Disaster Scenarios
iii. Recovery Strategies
iv. Business Impacts
v. Change Migration Process to DR
vi. Declaration of Disaster Situation
d. Check the Major Events for a Disaster Situation
i. Team Alertness / Identifying Disaster Situation
ii. Declaration of a Site Disaster
iii. Recovery at DR Sites
iv. Operating in an Interim Steady State
v. Returning Home (DC) Site

3. Simulation Testing and Parallel Testing (This Testing should be done after (1 and 2) has been done. The
simulation/parallel testing should have no impact on normal operations. The fail
a. Create a 2
nd
standby location and Instance (DR2DC) in DRDC for this test.
b. Arrange several user sites and PCs configured for this Test.
c. Arrange a time point for this test and record the logs
d. Copy applications programs and files to DR2DC environment
e. Ensure latest database changes have been applied to DR2DC
f. Stop DR2DC as standby database.
g. Configure to bring up DR2DC Applications and Database on different temporary ports and addresses.
h. Startup DR2DC Database and Applications
i. Configure and test access from PCs in the chosen user sites.
j. Test Run Reports to verify production data is in DR2DC for the point in time.
k. Drop the DR2DC instance.

4. Full-interruption Testing (Real Deal) Follow the DR Procedures documented in the Plan. This testing
should be done after 1 and 2 is done.
a. Disaster happens (Plan)
b. DR Management Action Team assess situation and recommends to Executive Team to declare a disaster
c. Executive Leadership Team assesses the recommendations and declares a Disaster Situation for PDC and
processing to move to DRDC.
d. DR Management Action Team informs end users, Help Desk and owners of external interfacing systems about
the Disaster declaration.
e. DR Failure Procedures - Technical / Operations/ User Support Teams.
i. Ensure all network equipment in DRDC are in service
ii. Ensure all servers in DRDC are in service
iii. Configure Oracle Application and Database in DRDC to be Production Environment
iv. Configure DNS Server to point to DRDC
v. Test and ensure PC access to SPAN Application in DRDC from each of the user sites
vi. End Users in each of the user sites will run reports to verify the production Data
vii. DRDC set to run as production.

f. Recovery Procedures for PDC takes place and PDC is recovered
i. Ensure all network equipment in PDC are in Service
ii. Ensure all servers in PDC are in Service
iii. Configure environment in PDC as DR environment

g. Production Switch Back Procedures
i. Inform end users and other stakeholders that the Production environment will be down for Switch-
Back.
ii. Ensure latest Production database changes are synchronized successfully from DRDC to DC.
iii. Configure PDC as Production Environment, DRDC as DR environment and setup the DR synchronization
iv. Configure DNS server to point to PDC
v. Test and Ensure PC access to Application in PDC from each of the user sites
vi. End Users in each of the user sites will run the reports to verify the production data in PDC.
vii. Back to Normal

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