Business Continuity Strategy: FAQs for IT Leaders

Business continuity is no longer a static document on a shared drive; it is a core discipline that directly affects uptime, customer trust, and revenue. As disruptions become more frequent and more complex, IT leaders are being asked to move beyond “backup and restore” and into full continuity strategy: people, processes, technology, and communication.

If you’re working on your strategy, our post What Is Business Continuity? covers essentials and creates a foundation.

This FAQ addresses practical questions IT and operations leaders face when shaping or updating a business continuity plan.

What is a business continuity plan?

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a documented strategy for keeping critical operations running during and after an unexpected disruption. It covers events such as cyberattacks, power outages, system failures, natural disasters, vendor issues, and communication breakdowns.

A strong BCP identifies critical functions, assesses risk, defines recovery objectives, assigns responsibilities, and outlines clear procedures to reduce downtime and data loss. The goal is to keep the organization functional enough to support customers, protect revenue, and meet compliance needs while normal operations are restored.

Who is responsible for business continuity?

Ultimate responsibility for business continuity sits with executive leadership, typically the COO, CIO, or CTO. While IT plays a key role, business continuity is cross-functional and spans the entire organization.

Who creates a business continuity plan?

Business continuity plans are developed by a dedicated, cross-functional team that brings together leadership, technical, and operational perspectives. This team typically includes:

• Executive leadership and risk or compliance stakeholders
• IT and cybersecurity leadership
• Operations and line-of-business leaders
• Facilities or infrastructure managers
• Human resources and people operations
• Internal communications or marketing leaders

Many organizations also partner with external experts, such as managed service providers (MSPs), cybersecurity firms, or business continuity consultants to validate assumptions, design practical runbooks, support testing, and keep plans aligned with ongoing risks.

How often should business continuity plans be updated?

As a baseline, business continuity plans should be formally reviewed and updated at least once per year. This annual review ensures that changes in systems, vendors, staffing, and business priorities are reflected in the plan.

Events That (Should) Trigger Business Continuity Plan Updates

• Major technology or infrastructure changes, such as cloud migrations, new data centers, or VoIP deployments
• Organizational restructuring, mergers, or acquisitions
• New regulatory, contractual, or compliance requirements
• Significant incidents or near misses that expose gaps in the current plan

If the business changes, the continuity plan must evolve with it. A plan that does not match current systems and structures often fails at the moment it is needed most.

What industries need business continuity the most?

Every organization benefits from business continuity planning, but some industries face higher levels of operational, regulatory, or safety risk. In these environments, business continuity is not optional; it is an essential control.

Industries With High Continuity Risk

• Healthcare – Clinical systems, patient records, and care delivery must remain available and secure.
• Energy, Oil and Gas – Remote operations, field sites, and safety systems require resilient communications and infrastructure.
• Financial Services – Uptime, data integrity, and regulatory compliance drive stringent continuity and recovery requirements.
• Manufacturing – Production lines, supply chains, and logistics operations are highly sensitive to downtime.
• Legal Services – Case management systems, document repositories, and court deadlines demand reliable access.
• Education – Student information systems, remote learning platforms, and campus operations depend on consistent availability.

While these sectors face heightened exposure, any organization that relies on digital systems, cloud services, and connected communications should treat business continuity as a foundational discipline, not an edge case.

Can business continuity be outsourced?

Business continuity can be partially outsourced. Many organizations work with an external partner or MSP when internal teams lack time or specialized expertise.

External continuity partners can support:

• Specialized experience across multiple industries and threat profiles
• Standardized methodologies for assessing risk and defining recovery objectives
• Practical knowledge of cloud, network, VoIP, and application failover designs
• Support for regular testing, documentation updates, and staff training

Outsourcing strengthens execution, but it does not replace internal ownership. Leadership and key stakeholders must remain involved to ensure the plan reflects real business processes, priorities, and risk tolerance.

The most effective continuity models are co-managed: external partners provide structure and technical depth, while internal teams own decisions, communication, and accountability.

How do you test a business continuity plan?

Testing a business continuity plan validates whether your procedures, systems, and communication workflows actually function under real disruption conditions.

Common BCP Testing Approaches

• Tabletop exercises – Stakeholders walk through a disruption scenario in a workshop setting, reviewing roles, decisions, and communication steps.
• Technical failover tests – IT teams simulate system failures, network outages, or data center disruptions to validate recovery procedures and timing.
• Communication drills – Organizations test emergency notification systems, contact trees, and escalation paths.
• Process simulations – Business units simulate operating under degraded conditions, such as reduced applications or limited facilities.

Each test should have defined objectives, success criteria, and a documented after-action review. Findings should then be used to update the business continuity plan, refine procedures, and close gaps in training, tooling, or communication.

What are the most common business continuity mistakes?

Even mature organizations can fall into patterns that weaken their continuity posture. Some of the most common business continuity mistakes include:

• Treating continuity as an IT-only project – Focusing solely on systems and ignoring people, processes, and communications.
• Letting plans go stale – Failing to perform routine audits or update documentation after major technology, vendor, or organizational changes.
• Skipping regular testing – Assuming that a written plan will perform under pressure without conducting structured exercises.
• Overcomplicating documentation – Creating plans that are too long, too technical, or too fragmented for teams to use in a real incident.
• Ignoring third-party dependencies – Overlooking cloud providers, critical vendors, or telco partners in continuity scenarios.
• Underinvesting in communication – Failing to define who communicates what, to whom, and through which channels during an event.

Avoiding these mistakes requires treating business continuity as an ongoing program rather than a one-time project. Clear ownership, regular testing, concise documentation, and cross-functional engagement are the core levers that keep continuity plans effective over time.

For a foundational overview of terminology, scope, and strategic context, visit our guide to business continuity. Together, a strong conceptual foundation and a tested, living plan give IT leaders and their organizations a more resilient path through disruption.