Assess the criticality of your IT systems consistently, instead of relying on gut feeling. We'll show you a simple yet proven method that will ensure you never fail at this assessment.
When it comes to disaster recovery plans, one of the most importantagis: How business-critical is an IT system and how quickly does it need to be available again in an emergency? How do I assess the criticality of my systems?
In practice, such decisions are often made based on gut feeling. This leads to inconsistencies and is difficult for others to understand. While one department considers a system indispensable, another deems it secondary. Therefore, it is all the more important to have a structured and transparent evaluation of IT systems – as the basis for the disaster recovery strategy.
a methodology for evaluation
There are various approaches to assessing the criticality of IT systems. The choice of method depends on the required depth of assessment and how closely it is integrated into existing processes. Here are some common options:
1. Qualitative assessment by specialist departments
Systems are classified as "critical," "important," or "irrelevant" based on empirical data. This method is fast, but inconsistent and often difficult to understand.
2. Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
Part of classic IT riskagmethods. Here, potential impacts of outages are analyzed in detail – financially, legally, and operationally. The BIA is precise, but time-consuming.
3. Point system based onag
Aagmiddle ground: Targetedag(e.g., impact, recovery time, number of affected users) are used to determine a score that leads to a classification. This method is transparent, standardized, and easily implementable even for smaller organizations.
Criticality assessment with our online calculator
With our online calculator, we deliberately rely on the third method. It is clearly structured, easy to understand, and can also be used across teams – without special tools or lengthy workshops.
Answer a few targetedagand receive a clear classification of your system – from irrelevant to business-critical. This will create theagfor prioritized recovery goals and help you avoid making the wrong decisions when securing your infrastructure.
What happens after the evaluation?
The criticality assessment reveals how relevant an IT system is to business operations – ranging from irrelevant to business-critical. This classification forms the basis for further steps in disaster recovery planning. Read our practical white paper for more information on this topic.
The Netstream Workload Availability Service is a proven method for quickly restoring business-critical systems in an emergency.
If you require assistance with the evaluation or implementation, we are happy to help.
