Five 9s Consulting has the experience and depth of knowledge to assist companies with understanding the need to be ready and move into the new IT-compliant world.

Five 9s Consulting offers Governmental compliance consulting, vCISO, vCIO, Board of directors IT consulting advisory services. We translate geek and Governmental into business English to guide your company.

We are more than just a technology advocate, consultant or computer support. With our impeccable I.T. Management experience, we advise organizations on how to best integrate technology throughout the business, planning, design and more.

IT Consulting the right way.

We are not your typical IT consulting firm. We sell only our time and experience. What sets us apart from others is not only our 35 years of Cybersecurity and IT experience, we do not take commissions or any type of selling fee offered by vendors for their product recommendations. We are trusted advisors for the management level on matching your IT infrastructure with your company’s strategic planning, for now, and in the future.

We have extensive experience in C-Suite IT consulting, Cybersecurity consulting in the civilian and defense industry, Zero Trust environments, and Data Center management.  We have the knowledge and experience to help guide you in the right direction.

 

The one Question you need to ask your director of IT

From your last yearly disaster recovery test what improvements to the system do you recommend we make?

Testing your disaster recovery plan is crucial to ensure its effectiveness and identify any potential weaknesses or gaps in the plan.

Here are some steps you can follow to test your disaster recovery plan:

Define objectives and scope: Clearly define the objectives of the test and the scope of the disaster recovery plan you want to test.

Determine the specific systems, processes, or scenarios you want to simulate during the testing.

Create test scenarios: Identify different disaster scenarios based on the types of risks your organization may face. These scenarios could include natural disasters, system failures, cyber-attacks, or human errors. Develop specific test cases for each scenario to simulate realistic situations.

Establish success criteria: Define specific success criteria for each test scenario. These criteria should outline the expected outcomes, recovery time objectives (RTOs), recovery point objectives (RPOs), and any other key metrics or benchmarks to assess the effectiveness of the plan. Communicate and coordinate: Inform all relevant stakeholders, including IT personnel, business leaders, and other departments, about the upcoming testing. Coordinate with different teams involved in the disaster recovery plan to ensure their participation and cooperation.

Conduct tabletop exercises: Start with tabletop exercises, which involve walking through the disaster recovery plan and simulating the response to different scenarios without actually executing the recovery procedures. This exercise helps identify any gaps or inconsistencies in the plan and allows participants to understand their roles and responsibilities.

Perform simulation tests: Once the tabletop exercises are completed successfully, progress to more advanced simulation tests. These tests involve actually implementing the recovery procedures to restore systems and processes. It may involve taking systems offline, activating backup infrastructure, and recovering data from backup sources.

Monitor and evaluate: During the testing, closely monitor the execution of the recovery plan and measure the time taken to restore critical systems and data. Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan in meeting the predefined success criteria. Document any issues, delays, or challenges encountered during the testing process.

Analyze and improve: After completing the testing, analyze the results and identify areas for improvement. Review the documented issues and take corrective actions to address any shortcomings in the plan. Update and refine the disaster recovery plan based on the lessons learned during the testing.

Repeat testing periodically: Disaster recovery testing should be an ongoing process. Regularly schedule tests to ensure the plan remains up to date-and aligned with the evolving needs and technologies of your organization. Conducting tests at least once a year or whenever there are significant changes to systems or infrastructure is recommended.

Remember, testing your disaster recovery plan is a critical step, and it should be approached with proper planning, coordination, and involvement of key stakeholders. By regularly testing (we recommend yearly) and refining your plan, you can enhance your organization’s readiness to effectively respond to and recover from disasters or disruptions.

 

Why you need to consider using a data center.

Moving your IT infrastructure to a data center can offer several benefits and advantages. Here are just a few  reasons why it might be beneficial for your organization:

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity: Data centers have robust disaster recovery plans in place. They perform regular backups and implement strategies for data replication and failover to ensure business continuity in the event of a disaster. With off-site data storage and backup facilities, data centers provide an added layer of protection against data loss.

Compliance and Regulations: Data centers often comply with industry-specific regulations and certifications, such as ISO standards and SOC reports. By hosting your infrastructure in a compliant data center, you can ensure that your operations meet the necessary legal and regulatory requirements.

If you would like to chat further about how we can assist you in finding the correct data center and managing the move.  We would love to discuss your options and the process.