Business Continuity
Business continuity is a managerial and operational approach addressing the criticality of the information systems’ continued operation at organizations and companies, even in the event of malfunctions, disasters, sabotage or any other hazard.
MedOne’s approaches are aligned with the principles of business continuity, in order to provide the continuity and operational flexibility needed by every company or organization for whom information is the core of their activity. The MedOne data center facilities, the first of their kind in Israel, were established after careful planning in accordance with international standards, placing emphasis on survivability and the highest levels of security in Israel. MedOne is even measured as part of Israel’s level of national fortitude, as the company has been defined a “vital enterprise” during emergencies, and its customers are subject to regulatory requirements that compel it to provide the highest level of service provided in Israel and among the highest in the world. Therefore, MedOne in effect implements the principles of business continuity with an approach that combines Home Front Command fortitude and survivability requirements along with the company’s obligation to provide its customers with operational continuity. The company is currently implementing tools for managing business continuity under the principles of the combined approach developed by Elements Homeland Security who Alon Rosen leads and Ernst & Young. MedOne is proud to be one of the 24 Israeli’s companies who holds the ISO 22301 standard for business continuity!
MedOne’s Strategy of Business Continuity
The business continuity plan was built on a methodological level, on a strategic level (approach and reference scenarios) and on an operational level (infrastructure, systems, equipment and personnel).
On the methodological level – the company is prepared to deal with issues according to an approach that divides events into their three component time segments:
Operational Business Aspects
Guaranteeing the level of service the company is committed to vis-à-vis its customers at a rate of 99.99%
- Upholding standards and regulations such as Emergency Economy, Home Front Command, the Ministry of Communications and ISO 22301
- Continuous provision of services defined as vital to the Israeli economy
Potential Crises
Protecting and securing assets and personnel
- War / Terror – State of Israel’s Reference Scenarios
- Mass mobilization via emergency order
- Earthquakes
- Cyberterrorism
- Extreme weather conditions
The Regulatory Aspect
To ensure compliance with local and global requirements
- Availability of electrical power
- Availability of air conditioning services to regulate temperature and humidity
- Security
During emergencies – 72 hours of operational continuity
Combined Approach to Business Continuity
At the operational level – the company has conducted a study of its core processes, including BIA, at all of the company’s sites, in order to unify all of its plans, procedures, knowledge and solutions for the four fundamental components of operational continuity – infrastructure, systems, equipment and personnel.
The tools with which MedOne manages business continuity
Service level support – the tools with which the company manages its business continuity processes were designed to support the service level targets it defined for routine and emergency conditions.
1. The service level as defined by the Ministry of communications (its regulatory supervisor for Emergency Economy matters): The company is currently a “vital enterprise”, as a result of the fact that it is a key Med Nautilus supplier. As part of the process of examining the company and the survey conducted at it, the company was found to be at the service level threshold defined for it vis-à-vis Nautilus in the context of its being a “vital enterprise”, and therefore it fully complies with the binding requirements.
2. The service level as defined by the company vis-à-vis its customers – the company properly defines the level of service it provides its customers:
Parameters Set
Availability Level |
Power availability
99.99%, and 72 hours disconnected from the world during emergencies |
Availability of air conditioning services for regulating temperature and humidity
99.99% and up to 28°C
Work stations
Availability – 4 hours from notice
The BIA process conducted examined core processes and the manner in which they are supported by infrastructure, personnel, equipment and systems to meet this service level. Any critical element that constitutes potential harm to redundancy / service level / survivability, is handled according to the No Single Point of Failure approach.
3. Survivability under reference scenarios – the company sites tested were found to have a high level of survivability under all reference scenarios defined as designated scenarios, and in addition, the company’s business continuity plans were built so as to provide an operational response within the framework of the high service level defined by the company.
Reference scenarios
A “reference scenario” is a design tool intended to focus the company’s preparations under the working assumptions at the basis of the scenario, such as for instance the availability of national energy resources, duration of possible impact, etc. In accordance with these work assumptions, the company defines backup and business continuity plans, and formulates strategies and tactics for dealing with damage to operative capabilities during emergencies. MedOne’s business continuity plans were designed to ensure a high level of service to its customers as well as to guarantee the survival of the national communications backbone, all under the focused reference scenarios. Terms and principles from the Emergency Economy national reference scenario (Rachel – Ministry of Defense), the Home Front Command war reference scenario (IDF) and the sector-based emergency economy reference scenario (Ministry of Communications). Adjustments were made for development of the threat to the Israeli home front as arises from trends among states in conflict. In addition, operational failure scenarios were examined for infrastructure, equipment, personnel and systems supporting the company’s core processes.
- Physical and critical infrastructure (including personnel and external inputs) were examined from specific and system-wide perspectives. As derived from this, operational failures in such infrastructure was examined in the same manner.
- A ballistic attack scenario is a specific derivative of comprehensive war scenarios, and is therefore similar in characteristics to a routine emergency event, such as a fire and so on (with an outline similar to the subject of safety at the company).
The reference scenarios were examined in three circles:
- Outer circle: outside threats according to the national reference scenario.
- Fence-adjacent circle: local threats derived from the site’s geographical location and its immediate surroundings.
- Inner circle: risks given the infrastructure and physical conditions of the various sites.
A “war reference scenario” is a possible outline of events expected to result in significant disruption to the supply of services provided by and to MedOne, and which is positioned as the relevant outline for planning the company’s response in order to reduce the harm to it.