Business continuity strategy - an effective vaccine for businesses against external influences

The rapid spread of the corona virus has presented us with an unfamiliar scenario, which challenges our ability as company and business owners to preserve our business activities and makes us all start to miss the virtual viruses... this is how you maintain business continuity despite unexpected threats.

Business continuity is an issue that worries business owners all over the world, therefore many of them prepare in advance for damage to the information infrastructures and organizational databases as a result of a natural disaster, a technical malfunction or the intrusion of a virtual virus - but life never ceases to surprise. For the first time in the history of the modern world, a live and kicking virus managed to significantly damage global business activity, reduce the production capacity of factories around the world, stop supply lines, disrupt service systems and significantly reduce the demand for products and services.

Flashing warning sign

The pests and viruses we deal with every day. The way the corona virus is treated is also reminiscent of the procedures for treating the virtual virus: locating the cause of the infection, disconnecting it from the corporate information system, isolating it and eliminating it.

"This scenario is a warning sign for all business owners," he says Guy Hochman - CEO of Genie Computing Services and explains: "The outbreak that the world is experiencing these days is intended to remind us all that the scenario may repeat itself and pose a tangible threat to the ability of business organizations to survive another epidemic. Therefore, do not rely on the improvisational ability or the creativity of you and your employees. If you are life-saving and want to ensure the survival of your business even in an extreme scenario, start formulating a business continuity strategy today!"

Business continuity plan - the solution for the next crisis

The goal of a business continuity strategy is to define in advance what are the most essential functions for the continued proper functioning of the organization and its ability to continue providing services and products to its customers.
Prioritize in order of importance and activate them quickly at the moment of truth. As part of formulating the strategy, Genie's business continuity experts will help you define the following critical issues and provide them with a comprehensive and effective technological solution:

• What are the most essential assets for the existence of the organization, which may be damaged at the moment of truth?
• Which automatic processes that exist in the organization may go wrong and require the definition of alternative processes?
• Who are the most essential employees for the organization during the crisis?
• Whether to copy the business activity to the employees' homes and/or to alternative sites in their areas Not yet imposed
  Total shutdown and how to do it?
• How to allow employees to continue their duties, even in the case of home isolation?

• How to maintain and enforce the strict information security policy used in the organization, even when working remotely?
• How to enable secure remote access to essential applications and databases for employees from their home?
• Who are the suppliers that our activity depends on and how prepared are they for a scenario of isolation or a general curfew?
• How to continue to provide clients with as efficient a service as possible, even when the office is not functioning?
• What is the maximum downtime until business continuity is achieved, without irreversible economic or image damage?

"A full professional answer to these difficult questions" he explains Guy Hochman,
"It is the basis for creating a functioning technological and human system that will ensure business continuity.
This is through the creation of secure interfaces that will allow employees to continue their work even from home.
Tools for conference calls, creating emergency communication procedures, operating an information center and telephone support
For the company's customers to maintain their loyalty even in an emergency and no less important
- Formulating a support plan for employees experiencing stress and mental distress."

Apparently, the day will not be far when entire organizations will be forced to work from home
In some organizations, this was already the case, from the beginning of March 2020.

Examples of simple actions that the network manager of any organization is responsible for performing, during times of crisis for the purpose of working from home:

• Adapting the Firewall device to the number of users connecting remotely, both at the level of the device's features to the number of users connecting remotely at the same time and at the Throughout level.
• Adjusting the Internet line to a bandwidth suitable for a large user input.
• Supplying laptops to those who do not have a computer at home.
• Establishing an array of terminal servers for the benefit of remote connection.
• Implementation of anti-virus on every new computer.
• Connecting all users to the cloud backup system and monitoring the performance of the backups.

For all consultation and help in the organization's readiness and in finding continuity solutions, You can contact us.