IT Disaster Recovery / BCP Tabletop Exercise Checklist
This IT Disaster Recovery and BCP tabletop exercise checklist ensures compliance with NIST SP 800-34 contingency planning guidelines, ISO 22301:2019 business continuity management, and FFIEC IT Examination Handbook requirements. Designed for BCM managers and IT directors to facilitate structured tabletop exercises, identify gaps, and validate recovery procedures. Complete all sections to document exercise outcomes.
- Industry: Telecommunications & IT
- Frequency: Quarterly
- Estimated Time: 2-4 hours
- Role: Business Continuity Manager / IT Director
- Total Items: 30
- Compliance: NIST SP 800-34 Rev.1 Contingency Planning, ISO 22301:2019 Business Continuity Management, FFIEC IT Examination Handbook - Business Continuity, ISO 27001:2022 A.5.30 ICT Readiness for Business Continuity, FEMA Continuity Planning (FPC 1)
Exercise Preparation
Pre-exercise setup and participant readiness.
- DRP/BCP documents distributed to participants in advance?
- Exercise objectives clearly defined and communicated?
- Scenario injects prepared and validated?
- Observers/evaluators briefed on their role?
- Ground rules established (this is an exercise)?
Scenario Execution
Exercise scenario walkthrough and response evaluation.
- Initial incident response procedures followed?
- RTO/RPO targets referenced during response?
- Escalation procedures correctly followed?
- Communication plan activated appropriately?
- Decision authorities exercised per the plan?
Recovery Procedure Validation
Technical recovery steps and alternate site activation.
- Critical system recovery priority correctly identified?
- Alternate processing site procedures reviewed?
- Data recovery from backup procedures validated?
- Vendor emergency contacts accessible and tested?
- Manual workaround procedures available for critical processes?
Gaps and Issues Identified
Document exercise findings and gaps per ISO 22301.
- All gaps and issues documented in real-time?
- Outdated plan sections identified?
- Training gaps identified for team members?
- Technology gaps or single points of failure identified?
- Gaps and Issues Log
Hot Wash / After-Action Review
Immediate post-exercise discussion and feedback.
- Hot wash conducted immediately after exercise?
- What went well documented?
- Areas for improvement documented?
- Participant feedback forms collected?
- Exercise Summary Notes
Corrective Actions and Plan Updates
Post-exercise improvement actions and plan revisions.
- Corrective action items assigned with owners and due dates?
- DRP/BCP plan updates required?
- Plan update schedule established?
- After-action report prepared for management?
- Next exercise date scheduled?
Related IT & Data Security Checklists
- SaaS Vendor Security Assessment Checklist
- DNS/DHCP Infrastructure Audit Checklist
- Enterprise Mobility / MDM Policy Audit Checklist
- Data Backup Verification and Restore Test Checklist
- Network Capacity Planning Quarterly Review Checklist
- SD-WAN Deployment Validation Checklist
- Unified Communications Room System Commissioning Checklist
- SSL/TLS Certificate Management Audit Checklist
Related Cybersecurity Checklists
- Batch 4G Cyber Checklist 1 - FREE Download
- Batch 4G Cyber Checklist 2 - FREE Download
- Batch 4G Cyber Checklist 3 - FREE Download
- Batch 4G Cyber Checklist 4 - FREE Download
- Batch 4G Cyber Checklist 5 - FREE Download
- Batch 4G Cyber Checklist 6 - FREE Download
- Batch 4G Cyber Checklist 7 - FREE Download
- Batch 4G Cyber Checklist 8 - FREE Download
- Batch 4G Cyber Checklist 9 - FREE Download
- Batch 4G Cyber Checklist 10 - FREE Download
Why Use This IT Disaster Recovery / BCP Tabletop Exercise Checklist?
This it disaster recovery / bcp tabletop exercise checklist helps telecommunications & it teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for business continuity manager / it director professionals, this checklist covers 30 critical inspection points across 6 sections. Recommended frequency: quarterly.
Ensures compliance with NIST SP 800-34 Rev.1 Contingency Planning, ISO 22301:2019 Business Continuity Management, FFIEC IT Examination Handbook - Business Continuity, ISO 27001:2022 A.5.30 ICT Readiness for Business Continuity, FEMA Continuity Planning (FPC 1). Regulatory-aligned for audit readiness and inspection documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the IT Disaster Recovery / BCP Tabletop Exercise Checklist cover?
This checklist covers 30 inspection items across 6 sections: Exercise Preparation, Scenario Execution, Recovery Procedure Validation, Gaps and Issues Identified, Hot Wash / After-Action Review, Corrective Actions and Plan Updates. It is designed for telecommunications & it operations and compliance.
How often should this checklist be completed?
This checklist should be completed quarterly. Each completion takes approximately 2-4 hours.
Who should use this IT Disaster Recovery / BCP Tabletop Exercise Checklist?
This checklist is designed for Business Continuity Manager / IT Director professionals in the telecommunications & it industry. It can be used for self-assessments, team audits, and regulatory compliance documentation.
Can I download this checklist as a PDF?
Yes, this checklist is available as a free PDF download. You can also use it digitally in the POPProbe mobile app for real-time data capture, photo documentation, and automatic reporting.