S 6.10 Contingency plans for breakdown of data transmission

Initiation responsibility: Head of IT Section, IT Security Management, Staff responsible for the individual IT applications

Implementation responsibility: Staff responsible for emergency preparedness (contingency planning); administrator

The contingency plan for a breakdown of data transmission covers the instructions on actions to be taken in case of any failure of data transmission facilities. In particular, it must be known what internal and external alternatives are available before a definitive decision is made on how to compensate for a system failure.

Possible alternatives are, for instance:

• replacing data transmission by courier-carried exchanges of data media or printed material (cf. Chapter 7.1);

• data transfer viaother data transmission facilities; or

• use of mobile communications facilities (e.g. PAMR, mobile telephony, satellite communication).

Additional controls:

• Has the data transmission capacity required for the use of alternative resources been adequately dimensioned?