The facilities employed to ensure that your computer processing re-starts successfully after a voluntary or enforced close down.

• The unavailability of your systems (and data) following an interruption to normal processing can impact on business operations and efficiency.

• For each of your key systems, ensure that your backup procedures will enable an efficient restore to the most recent backup state - e.g. as at the previous business day. The backup tapes or disks for such systems must also be safeguarded.
• Make periodic checks to ensure that these procedures continue to support a timely recovery.
• Occasionally, perform a restore on a trial basis. Modify your procedures in the light of the results. Often, any problems will be due to procedures which are too general requiring ad-hoc decisions. Ensure that the procedures consider the specific environment involved.

• Corruption / loss of some data following an interruption to normal processing can disrupt operations and delay business processing.

• Where the system permits, always create backup files throughout the course of the day to enable a rapid recovery to an earlier version if needed.
• For transaction processing systems, ensure that recovery from a system's disruption is fully tested to verify that transactions cannot be 'lost'.