rental unit; purchase prices range from under $400 up to about $2,000. Usage data needs to be transferred from the backup site to
is provided on a per-minute basis, as with any mobile telephone system, and the new work place. This is where key employees
starts under a dollar a minute. could gather to handle functions needed to keep your
Portable and transportable mobile satcoms: Mobile satellite systems include business operational during the crisis. This could be
devices that can be transported and operated from inside a car, truck or accomplished with a fixed point-to-point wireless
maritime vessel, as well as in helicopters and other aircraft, including network.
commercial airplanes. This kind of terminal is useful where data-intensive, Depending on the disaster, access to satellite phones
high-speed connections are needed on an expedited basis for damage may be useful, but it’s just as important to have primary
assessment, medical evaluation or other applications for voice, video and and backup assembly points available where staff can
data. Depending on the satellite system and type of equipment, they can be gather, a head count can be made, and subsequent
operational within 30 minutes, usually without expert technical staff, and can actions can be taken.
be deployed virtually anywhere. Good planning means having access to backup
Fixed satcoms: Fixed satellite communication terminals would typically be assets. From a communications perspective, this means
installed in cases where the equipment is required for longer than one week, a supply of mobile phones, satellite phones, two-way
including pre-disaster applications – for example, environmental monitoring, radios, and batteries and chargers at easily accessible
communications redundancy, etc. – as well as post-disaster recovery locations.
operations. Such systems can be configured to provide everything from low- As with any BC/DR plan, exercising the plan is
speed data transmissions up to very high bandwidth data and full broadcast- essential. Be sure to include wireless devices as part of
quality video to supplement or replace local and national telecommunications any exercise to make sure they work properly and the
infrastructures. staff knows what to do. Document all wireless devices
in your inventory, especially the type, application and
location.
Security issues
Wireless networks, due to their transmission of
information through free space, are inherently less
secure than their wired counterparts because wireless
signals are vulnerable to interception. When building
wireless technology into BC/DR plans, be sure to
investigate the security issues. Ensure that, when
The good news is that today’s microwave radios possible, wireless transmissions are protected via
encryption.
provide very large amounts of bandwidth, often
Wireless standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 series,
in the tens and hundreds of megabytes per second
address security issues thoroughly. Make sure that
all networks, clients and servers are secure, using
standards-based technology. Since physical security
Users have a variety of choices for obtaining access to satellite services. can’t be guaranteed in a disaster, make sure all critical
Handheld mobile satellites are the simplest, in keeping with the way the data is encrypted when using wireless devices and
systems work. A user needs only to contact a value-added reseller to lease or client/server systems.
buy the phone or other devices and sign a service contract. These companies Take advantage of existing wireless security features.
are readily available through the Internet; units can be shipped on an Employing 128-bit encryption and spread-spectrum
expedited basis. technology – which breaks encrypted data into
For portable and fixed VSAT (very small aperture terminal) services it individual packets for transmission and reassembles
is possible to either contact the satellite companies themselves, or work them at the receiver – data travelling over today’s
through one of the wide range of network integrators providing end-to-end wireless LANs can be as safe as many wire-line
communication services, including VSAT terminals and satellite bandwidth connections.
access, on either a global, regional or local basis.
Fully connected
Issues in wireless BC/DR planning In defining the role for wireless technology in your
Wireless communications should be a key strategy when developing your firm’s BC/DR plans, keep in mind the capabilities of
incident response and disaster recovery plans. Communications with key each specific technology. For example, mobile phones
personnel will be critical in the early stages of an incident. Fortunately, and PDAs provide an excellent way to deliver short
employees in today’s organisations generally carry at least one wireless device, messages to people who are on the move or scattered
usually mobile phones and PDAs, such as a BlackBerry. in various locations. However, these devices may
As you build the database of contact information for your emergency teams be inadequate for moving large volumes of data or
as well as all employees, include mobile device numbers. For emergency accessing complex Web pages. By building wired
teams, consider supplying members with more than one wireless device. In and wireless technologies into your disaster recovery
addition to emergency teams, senior management, IT personnel, and senior planning, you can guarantee a measure of data and
business unit leaders should have wireless phones. network resilience, giving your organisation an edge in
Based on the disaster scenarios you identify, you can incorporate wireless the event of a disaster.
technology to varying degrees. If one scenario requires evacuating the
premises and working from home until the building can be reoccupied,
PaUL Kirvan FBCi
communications can be via mobile phones and PDAs. If the scenario envisions
relocating to an alternate site, it may be useful to build a wireless LAN at that
Paul kirvan, Cisa, CissP is a member of the board of both
venue to connect staff laptops and other portable devices. WLAN systems
the Business Continuity institute and the BCi usa Chapter
generally have sufficient bandwidth for most office environments.
pkirvan@msn.com
Suppose you identify another scenario in which remotely backed up
  Continuity  January/February 2010
Cont Jan/Feb 2010_insides.indd 16 3/2/10 14:50:26
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