ITM 527 Module 4 Case

Module 4 - Case

DISASTER RECOVERY AND CLOUD COMPUTING

Assignment Overview

It is important to assure the continuous and proper operation of information systems in business continuity planning and information recovery in disaster recovery, as we have discussed in the previous module. The relationship between information systems and disaster recovery has another perspective—how information system is leveraged to manage disasters.

Information systems and telecommunication infrastructures have long been critical in emergency management. We sometimes heard about from the news how a three-year-old kid even knows to call 911 to seek help in emergency. Nowadays, 70% of 911 calls are from mobile phone. FCC requires 911 calls to be transmitted even if a mobile phone doesn't subscribe to any plan (FCC). Various apps for smartphones exist for emergency management. This is just a beginning.

FCC (2012), FCC Wireless 911 Services.

Continuity_Compliance (2011), Disaster Preparedness Apps List for Smartphone.

Need C. (2011), Disaster Preparedness 2011: Smart Phones Enhanced with Nanotube Hazmat Detectors Bring a New Dimension to Preparedness.

Chan, W. K. (2012). Operational Effectiveness of Smartphones and Apps for Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief , Naval Post Graduate School Thesis. https://calhoun.nps.edu/handle/10945/17338

The Internet, of course, is also a means of help. Please check out the two websites below and see how the websites may help in the time of disaster or emergency.

FEMA, http://www.fema.gov/

Disaster Assistance Program, http://www.disasterassistance.gov/

Geographic Information System (GIS) is another example of information systems that is widely applied in disaster management. The following three presentations show comprehensively how GIS and other information systems have been applied in disaster management and emergency response:

Cyber Risk Assessment and Management: https://staysafeonline.org/re-cyber/cyber-risk-assessment-management/

Lucus-McEwen, V. (2011) If you haven’t heard about crisis commons yet….http://www.emergencymgmt.com/emergency-blogs/campus/Crisis-Commons-Monitors-Turkey-Earthquake-102311.html

Heaton, B. (2013).  How emergency managers can benefit from big data. http://www.emergencymgmt.com/disaster/Emergency-Managers-Big-Data.html?page=2

A less considered or known is probably how digitization itself has helped preservation of assets that might be totally lost in a disaster. Please briefly review the following. The key is to be exposed to this perspective. You don't need to know of the details.

Video (2015). Digital Preservation and Nuclear Disaster: An Animation

British Library (2012), British Library Digital Preservation Strategy.

AABC (2012), The Archives Association of British Columbia Archivist's Toolkit: Preservation and Emergency Planning. 

Assignment Expectations

After reviewing the above materials, please write a 3-5 page paper titled:

"Leveraging Information Systems for Disaster Management"

Please address the following issues in your paper:

1. How information technology assists in risk management, continuous monitoring, business continuity planning and disaster recovery of a business
2. The benefits, new advances, and future trend of technologies in disaster management.
3. Provide examples of technologies and the use of them to support your discussions above.
4. Challenges in properly applying technologies in disaster management.