A Brief Guide to Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Course Syllabus
Full curriculum breakdown — modules, lessons, estimated time, and outcomes.
Overview: This course provides a comprehensive, practical guide to building, testing, and maintaining effective Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCP/DRP) plans. Structured into eight modules totaling approximately 6.5 hours, the course walks you through a clear, step-by-step framework—from risk analysis and strategy development to testing, maintenance, and real-world application. Designed for beginners, it combines foundational concepts with actionable insights and case studies to equip risk and IT professionals with the tools to enhance organizational resilience.
Module 1: Foundations of BCP & DRP
Estimated time: 0.75 hours
- Key terminology: RTO, RPO, MTD, and continuity lifecycle
- Understanding the purpose and scope of BCP and DRP
- Regulatory frameworks and industry standards
- Introduction to organizational resilience
Module 2: Risk Assessment & Business Impact Analysis
Estimated time: 1 hour
- Identifying threats, vulnerabilities, and likelihood
- Mapping business processes and critical functions
- Quantifying impacts on operations and finances
- Conducting a business impact analysis (BIA)
Module 3: Strategy Development
Estimated time: 1 hour
- Selecting continuity strategies: hot, warm, and cold sites
- Cloud-based recovery options
- Backup approaches: full, incremental, and snapshot methodologies
- Defining Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO)
Module 4: Plan Design & Documentation
Estimated time: 1 hour
- Structuring the BCP/DRP manual
- Developing policies, procedures, and contact lists
- Creating an incident response framework
- Designing communication plans and stakeholder notifications
Module 5: Implementation & Training
Estimated time: 0.75 hours
- Assigning roles and responsibilities
- Securing necessary resources and support
- Training teams and conducting awareness programs
- Change management and version control practices
Module 6: Testing & Exercising Plans
Estimated time: 1 hour
- Designing tabletop exercises and simulations
- Conducting full-scale drills
- Evaluating exercise outcomes
- Updating plans based on test results
Module 7: Maintenance & Continuous Improvement
Estimated time: 0.75 hours
- Scheduled reviews and audit readiness
- Incorporating lessons learned
- Updating plans for evolving threats
- Ensuring compliance with standards like ISO 22301 and NFPA 1600
Module 8: Case Studies & Best Practices
Estimated time: 0.75 hours
- Real-world BCP/DRP implementations
- Lessons from plan failures
- Adapting to emerging risks: cyberattacks, pandemics, supply-chain disruptions
- Integrating industry best practices
Prerequisites
- Familiarity with basic business operations
- Understanding of organizational risk concepts
- No prior technical or IT expertise required
What You'll Be Able to Do After
- Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment and business impact analysis
- Develop effective continuity and recovery strategies aligned with business needs
- Create fully documented, audit-ready BCP/DRP plans
- Design and lead testing exercises including tabletop simulations
- Maintain and continuously improve resilience plans to meet regulatory and operational demands