Page 1292 - (ISC)² CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Official Study Guide

period without power? Does your disaster recovery plan make ample
preparations for the timely restoration of power even if the

commercial power grid remains unavailable?

Check your UPSs regularly! These critical devices are often

overlooked until they become necessary. Many UPSs contain self-
testing mechanisms that report problems automatically, but it’s
still a good idea to subject them to regular testing. Also, be sure to

audit the number and type of devices plugged into each UPS. It’s
amazing how many people think it’s okay to add “just one more
system” to a UPS, and you don’t want to be surprised when the
device can’t handle the load during a real power outage!

Today’s technology-driven organizations depend increasingly on
electric power, so your BCP/DRP team should consider provisioning
alternative power sources that can run business systems indefinitely.
An adequate backup generator could make a huge difference when the

survival of your business is at stake.

Network, Utility, and Infrastructure Failures

When planners consider the impact that utility outages may have on
their organizations, they naturally think first about the impact of a
power outage. However, keep other utilities in mind too. Do any of
your critical business systems rely on water, sewers, natural gas, or
other utilities? Also consider regional infrastructure such as highways,
airports, and railroads. Any of these systems can suffer failures that

might not be related to weather or other conditions described in this
chapter. Many businesses depend on one or more of these
infrastructure elements to move people or materials. Their failure can
paralyze your business’s ability to continue functioning.

You must also think about your internet connectivity as a utility
service. Do you have sufficient redundancy in your connectivity

options to survive or recover quickly from a disaster? If you have
redundant providers, do they have any single points of failure? For
example, do they both enter your building in a single fiber conduit that