UNDER Murphy's Law, anything that can go wrong will. Electronic data processing (EDP) managers probably appreciate this more than any other professional.
The more a system is used, the greater the chance the system will be off-line. This, in turn, will add to the possibilities of a disaster eventually occurring.
Therefore, it is vital that EDP managers take steps to lessen the chance of a disaster occurring by having practices that contain such possibilities and stop them from escalating.
They should also introduce policies that enable their organisations to minimise the effect of a computer disaster and recover in a short space of time.
Much can be achieved to promote disaster avoidance if the correct approach is taken to both emergency and safety procedures.
When a computer disaster occurs (due to fire, explosion, flooding or other factors), emergency procedures should be accompanied by actions to lessen the impact.