Documentation is crucial for a disaster recovery plan as it outlines the purpose, methods, and responsibilities involved in the recovery process. It ensures that everyone knows their roles and can follow clear instructions, especially in the event that the primary person in charge is unavailable. Without proper documentation, the recovery process can become chaotic and ineffective.

To assess risks, businesses should conduct a thorough risk assessment that evaluates all functional areas and identifies potential threats. This includes creating a full IT inventory and data audit to pinpoint critical software applications and necessary hardware. Understanding the risks faced by external partners and service vendors is also important, especially in cloud environments.

Regular testing of a disaster recovery plan is essential to ensure that all processes and systems function correctly when needed. Just like fire drills prepare staff for emergencies, periodic testing of the DR plan helps familiarize everyone with their roles and responsibilities, increasing the likelihood of a smooth recovery during an actual disaster.