Disaster Planning and Recovery Toolkit

In the wake of a disaster — whether typical disk failure or catastrophic flood — it can be difficult to know where to begin the recovery process. With so many other pressing concerns, how should you prioritize IT recovery? What steps need to be taken immediately, and which can wait?

In this toolkit, you'll find resources to help you plan ahead so that you can limit the damage from a disaster; a comprehensive, downloadable guide to recovery; and information about tools to help keep your nonprofit's data safe should the unthinkable happen.

We have setup the toolkit into three sections — Plan, Mitigate, and Recover — so you can take a step-by-step approach to disaster planning and recovery.

Plan Your Response Early

In the planning phase, your organization should focus on documenting critical information necessary for recovery and developing procedures to help ensure an efficient and thorough recovery.

Backing Up Your Data
Regular backups are vital insurance against a data-loss catastrophe, yet many organizations learn this lesson the hard way. We'll show you tools and strategies for safeguarding your nonprofit's hard-to-replace information.

Keep Your Data Safe with Online Backup Services
Online backup services automate the uploading of selected files to a remote computer and offer the ability to restore files using your Internet connection. Find out what to consider when choosing a provider.

The No-Excuses Guide to Automated Online Backup
Still not sure about online backups? We'll walk you through the setup for EVault Small Business Edition to help you get a sense of how such a process works and provide additional tips for choosing provider.

Technology Planning for Civil Emergencies
Depending on the type of disaster and the availability of resources, your organization may find itself acting as a de facto emergency service assisting victims with first aid, transport, or counseling. Here, we show you ways to prepare your organization to deal with the unthinkable.

Virtual Community Topic: Do You Use an Automated Online Backup Service?
Find out which backup services other nonprofits recommend and ask your own questions.

Hardware Topic: How Long Do Backup Tapes Last?
TechSoup forum experts answer one reader's question about the durability of tapes and offer strategies to keep them running.

Mitigate the Possibility of Damage

Once you have a solid plan in place, the next step is to take steps to prevent disasters from occurring in the first place. Believe it or not, you have more control than you think, especially when it comes to internal disasters, like hardware failure.

Five Steps to Extending Your Computer's Life
Disasters aren't always caused by external forces. Just as you take your car in for scheduled tune-ups, so should you maintain your computers on a regular basis. We'll show you optimum protection and maintenance practices for keeping your computer healthy.

Recover with Confidence

Once you know how you've been impacted, it's time to begin the recovery process. Look to your plan to guide you. Additional assistance is provided in our Manual for Disaster Recovery, specifically designed for organizations without a plan in place or with lost plans.

Restoring IT Infrastructure: A Manual for Disaster Recovery (559 KB PDF)
This comprehensive document provides advice on getting technology systems working again in small- and medium-sized nonprofits where business continuity plans were not sufficient or did not exist. Included in this report are instructions on hardware recovery, restoring Internet connections, dealing with lost passwords, and a host of other information for your organization's recovery efforts. Download the accompanying Appendix Worksheets (41 KB XLS) for charts that will help you assess your IT infrastructure following a disaster.