Y2K COUNTDOWN

By Paul F. Kirvan, FBCI

As the year 2000 draws closer, business continuity professionals around the world must make sure that their companies can survive the date change. They must also ensure their information systems and network services – whether internally or externally provided – can handle the date change. They must ensure that business functions supported by IT are not disrupted.

In short, they have a significant task over the remaining months – possibly the most important one of their careers.

Now is NOT the time to start developing a Y2K program. However, it’s an excellent time to start developing Year 2000 contingency plans. To help provide additional assistance during this difficult time, this article presents a detailed checklist – the Year 2000 Countdown.

The Countdown
Business continuity professionals should be making final preparations for the millennium. To help the process, this article defines twelve key issues business continuity professionals should be prepared to address.

1. Have you examined what can be done to ensure that voice and data communications systems, as well as networks, will handle Y2K successfully?

2. Have you looked at what can be done to ensure that IT vendors and service providers will handle Y2K? If you are not confident with their efforts, contact alternate suppliers and be prepared to switch.

3. Have you examined what kinds of Y2K disruptions could occur, and what are their potential impacts? Predictions range from total loss of technology to minor "hiccups." Some compare Y2K outages to viruses.

4. Have you determined what can be done to minimize the potential loss of critical IT systems and networks attributed to Y2K? Concentrate your Y2K efforts on those systems that support mission-critical applications and processes.

5. Have you looked at what can be done to minimize the impact of Y2K outages that originate outside the company, especially from firms with which the company conducts business regularly?

6. Have you determined what contingency plans must be put in place to minimize the impact of Y2K outages, both inside and outside the company?

7. Have you identified the most important business processes and their supporting IT systems? Here’s a good reason to conduct a business impact analysis (BIA).

8. Have you developed alternate methods to deal with disabled business processes? Your BIA can suggest alternate business processes, such as providing paper forms, pads of paper, pencils and pens.

9. Have you updated existing disaster plans to address Y2K contingencies?

10. Have you looked at what can be done to mitigate Y2K service disruptions, assuming they occur?

11. Have you determined what can be done to prepare senior management, employees, shareholders, and customers for the Year 2000?

12. Have you determined what additional preparations must be made for the Year 2000, especially if all the bases have been (hopefully) covered? Have you compiled lists of all vendor/supplier Y2K emergency numbers, identified alternate suppliers, filled up fuel tanks, provided emergency heaters and arranged for food and water?

At some point over the coming months, corporate management will be making some very important decisions with regard to the Year 2000 problem. Make sure you are there to provide business continuity expertise. You won’t get many more opportunities like this!

About the Author
Paul F. Kirvan, FBCI, is a Senior Consultant with Bellcore, an industry leader in disaster prevention and recovery, risk analysis and security. For more information on this topic call (732) 758-3356 or visit their web site at www.bellcore.com.