DR a simulated disaster # 1

A few years ago whilst being an FTE at a medium sized financial company, the CEO and the CIO decided to simulate a disaster to test our DR plans. The unique part of this test was that nobody except the two C levels knew about this. When we turned up to work one day, the office was closed (actually locked). The CEO and the CIO were directing people to either go home or go to the DR site. A very small team from the business and IT were sent to the DR site and the rest went home with specific instructions to NOT remote into work or be in contact with any colleagues at the DR site. Those at the DR site were told NOT to contact any colleagues who were at home. For one day we had to run the business from the DR site with minimal staff. It was a very stressful day and it was interesting to see people out of their comfort zones, having to do work that they would not normally do. Trying to read and make sense of DR procedures (if they existed). We learnt a lot and actually applied some of these findings into making our DR procedures better, especially in a DR situation where all staff may not be available.

How do you think your work would cope?