1. Purpose:
The Backup and Disaster Recovery Policy establishes guidelines and procedures for maintaining backups of critical data and implementing disaster recovery measures to ensure business continuity in the event of data loss, system failures, or natural disasters. The primary goal is to minimize the impact of disruptions to operations and ensure the timely recovery of systems and data to support business functions.

2. Scope:
This policy applies to all systems, applications, and data owned or operated by the organization, including on-premises and cloud-based environments. It encompasses backup and disaster recovery processes for both physical and virtual infrastructure.

3. Backup Procedures:
a. Data Identification: Critical data and systems will be identified based on their importance to business operations and regulatory requirements.
b. Backup Frequency: Regular backups will be performed according to defined schedules, taking into account the frequency of data changes and the importance of the data.
c. Backup Methods: Backups may be performed using various methods, including full backups, incremental backups, and differential backups, depending on the data volume and retention requirements.
d. Offsite Storage: Backup data will be stored securely at offsite locations to mitigate the risk of data loss due to on-premises disasters, such as fires, floods, or theft.
e. Encryption: Backup data will be encrypted both in transit and at rest to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access or disclosure.

4. Disaster Recovery Procedures:
a. Disaster Recovery Plan: A comprehensive disaster recovery plan will be developed, documented, and maintained to guide the organization's response to disasters and facilitate the recovery of systems and data.
b. Recovery Time Objective (RTO): RTOs will be established for critical systems and applications, defining the maximum acceptable downtime in the event of a disaster.
c. Recovery Point Objective (RPO): RPOs will be defined for critical data, specifying the maximum acceptable data loss in the event of a disaster.
d. Recovery Testing: Regular disaster recovery tests and exercises will be conducted to validate the effectiveness of the disaster recovery plan and ensure readiness to respond to emergencies.
e. Failover and Failback Procedures: Procedures will be established for failing over critical systems and applications to backup environments during a disaster and failing them back to production environments once the disaster has been resolved.

5. Responsibilities:
a. IT Operations Team: Responsible for performing backups, monitoring backup jobs, and managing backup storage.
b. Disaster Recovery Team: Responsible for developing and maintaining the disaster recovery plan, conducting recovery tests, and coordinating disaster response and recovery efforts.
c. Business Units: Responsible for identifying critical systems and data, defining recovery priorities, and participating in disaster recovery planning and testing.

6. Compliance:
This policy is designed to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, industry standards, and organizational continuity objectives related to backup and disaster recovery. Non-compliance with this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or contract.

7. Review and Revision:
This policy will be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary to reflect changes in business requirements, technology, or regulatory requirements. Employees will be notified of any changes to the policy and provided with appropriate training and guidance.

By adhering to this Backup and Disaster Recovery Policy, the organization can ensure the availability and integrity of critical systems and data, minimize the impact of disruptions to operations, and maintain business continuity in the event of data loss, system failures, or natural disasters.