# Business Continuity Planning

> Use when designing business continuity and disaster plans.

- Skill: `loopyluci/business-continuity-planning` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add loopyluci/business-continuity-planning`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/loopyluci/business-continuity-planning/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- License: MIT
- Author: LoopyLuci (https://skillmd.com/u/loopyluci)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/loopyluci/business-continuity-planning

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# Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

Designing business continuity plans and disaster recovery procedures.

## When to Use

- Ensuring business operations continue during disruptions
- Defining RTO (Recovery Time Objective) and RPO (Recovery Point Objective)
- Building DR plans for IT systems
- Complying with regulations requiring business continuity

## BCP Framework

```python
BCP_PHASES = {
    'analysis': 'Business Impact Analysis (BIA) — identify critical functions',
    'strategy': 'Define recovery strategies (active-passive, active-active, hot/warm/cold)',
    'planning': 'Document recovery procedures, roles, communication',
    'testing': 'Regular DR tests (tabletop, walkthrough, full failover)',
}

def business_impact_analysis(processes: List[Dict]) -> List[Dict]:
    for p in processes:
        if p.get('max_downtime_hours', 72) <= 4: p['priority'] = 'critical'
        elif p.get('max_downtime_hours', 72) <= 24: p['priority'] = 'high'
        else: p['priority'] = 'normal'
    return sorted(processes, key=lambda p: p.get('max_downtime_hours', 72))
```

## Common Pitfalls

1. **No testing** — untested DR plans fail when needed
2. **Unrealistic RTO** — claiming 1-hour RTO for 4-hour restores
3. **Only IT focus** — BCP includes people, facilities, suppliers too
4. **Single region failure** — backup site in same disaster zone as primary

## Verification Checklist

- [ ] BIA completed for critical processes
- [ ] RTO and RPO defined per system
- [ ] DR plan documented and versioned
- [ ] Crisis communication plan with contact lists
- [ ] DR test schedule (tabletop quarterly, full failover annually)
- [ ] Backup restoration tested regularly
- [ ] Off-site or cloud-based backups