Vapora/docs/disaster-recovery/business-continuity-plan.md

# VAPORA Business Continuity Plan

Strategic plan for maintaining business operations during and after disaster events.

---

## Purpose & Scope

**Purpose**: Minimize business impact during service disruptions

**Scope**:
- Service availability targets
- Incident response procedures
- Communication protocols
- Recovery priorities
- Business impact assessment

**Owner**: Operations Team
**Review Frequency**: Quarterly
**Last Updated**: 2026-01-12

---

## Business Impact Analysis

### Service Criticality

**Tier 1 - Critical**:
- Backend API (projects, tasks, agents)
- SurrealDB (all user data)
- Authentication system
- Health monitoring

**Tier 2 - Important**:
- Frontend UI
- Agent orchestration
- LLM routing

**Tier 3 - Optional**:
- Analytics
- Logging aggregation
- Monitoring dashboards

### Recovery Priorities

**Phase 1** (First 30 minutes):
1. Backend API availability
2. Database connectivity
3. User authentication

**Phase 2** (Next 30 minutes):
4. Frontend UI access
5. Agent services
6. Core functionality

**Phase 3** (Next 2 hours):
7. All features
8. Monitoring/alerting
9. Analytics/logging

---

## Service Level Targets

### Availability Targets

```
Monthly Uptime Target: 99.9%
- Allowed downtime: ~43 minutes/month
- Current status: 99.95% (last quarter)

Weekly Uptime Target: 99.9%
- Allowed downtime: ~6 minutes/week

Daily Uptime Target: 99.8%
- Allowed downtime: ~17 seconds/day
```

### Performance Targets

```
API Response Time: p99 < 500ms
- Current: p99 = 250ms
- Acceptable: < 500ms
- Red alert: > 2000ms

Error Rate: < 0.1%
- Current: 0.05%
- Acceptable: < 0.1%
- Red alert: > 1%

Database Query Time: p99 < 100ms
- Current: p99 = 75ms
- Acceptable: < 100ms
- Red alert: > 500ms
```

### Recovery Objectives

```
RPO (Recovery Point Objective): 1 hour
- Maximum data loss acceptable: 1 hour
- Backup frequency: Hourly

RTO (Recovery Time Objective): 4 hours
- Time to restore full service: 4 hours
- Critical services (Tier 1): 30 minutes
```

---

## Incident Response Workflow

### Severity Classification

**Level 1 - Critical 🔴**
- Service completely unavailable
- All users affected
- RPO: 1 hour, RTO: 30 minutes
- Response: Immediate activation of DR procedures

**Level 2 - Major 🟠**
- Service significantly degraded
- >50% users affected or critical path broken
- RPO: 2 hours, RTO: 1 hour
- Response: Activate incident response team

**Level 3 - Minor 🟡**
- Service partially unavailable
- <50% users affected
- RPO: 4 hours, RTO: 2 hours
- Response: Alert on-call engineer

**Level 4 - Informational 🟢**
- Service available but with issues
- No user impact
- Response: Document in ticket

### Response Team Activation

**Level 1 Response (Disaster Declaration)**:

```
Immediately notify:
  - CTO (@cto)
  - VP Operations (@ops-vp)
  - Incident Commander (assign)
  - Database Team (@dba)
  - Infrastructure Team (@infra)

Activate:
  - 24/7 incident command center
  - Continuous communication (every 2 min)
  - Status page updates (every 5 min)
  - Executive briefings (every 30 min)

Resources:
  - All on-call staff activated
  - Contractors/consultants if needed
  - Executive decision makers available
```

---

## Communication Plan

### Stakeholders & Audiences

| Audience | Notification | Frequency |
|----------|---|---|
| **Internal Team** | Slack #incident-critical | Every 2 minutes |
| **Customers** | Status page + email | Every 5 minutes |
| **Executives** | Direct call/email | Every 30 minutes |
| **Support Team** | Slack + email | Initial + every 10 min |
| **Partners** | Email + phone | Initial + every 1 hour |

### Communication Templates

**Initial Notification (to be sent within 5 minutes of incident)**:

```
INCIDENT ALERT - VAPORA SERVICE DISRUPTION

Status: [Active/Investigating]
Severity: Level [1-4]
Affected Services: [List]
Time Detected: [UTC]
Impact: [X] customers, [Y]% of functionality

Current Actions:
- [Action 1]
- [Action 2]
- [Action 3]

Expected Update: [Time + 5 min]

Support Contact: [Email/Phone]
```

**Ongoing Status Updates (every 5-10 minutes for Level 1)**:

```
INCIDENT UPDATE

Severity: Level [1-4]
Duration: [X] minutes
Impact: [Latest status]

What We've Learned:
- [Finding 1]
- [Finding 2]

What We're Doing:
- [Action 1]
- [Action 2]

Estimated Recovery: [Time/ETA]

Next Update: [+5 minutes]
```

**Resolution Notification**:

```
INCIDENT RESOLVED

Service: VAPORA [All systems restored]
Duration: [X hours] [Y minutes]
Root Cause: [Brief description]
Data Loss: [None/X transactions]

Impact Summary:
- Users affected: [X]
- Revenue impact: $[X]

Next Steps:
- Root cause analysis (scheduled for [date])
- Preventive measures (to be implemented by [date])
- Post-incident review ([date])

We apologize for the disruption and appreciate your patience.
```

---

## Alternative Operating Procedures

### Degraded Mode Operations

If Tier 1 services are available but Tier 2-3 degraded:

```
DEGRADED MODE PROCEDURES

Available:
✓ Create/update projects
✓ Create/update tasks
✓ View dashboard (read-only)
✓ Basic API access

Unavailable:
✗ Advanced search
✗ Analytics
✗ Agent orchestration (can queue, won't execute)
✗ Real-time updates

User Communication:
- Notify via status page
- Email affected users
- Provide timeline for restoration
- Suggest workarounds
```

### Manual Operations

If automation fails:

```
MANUAL BACKUP PROCEDURES

If automated backups unavailable:

1. Database Backup:
   kubectl exec pod/surrealdb -- surreal export ... > backup.sql
   aws s3 cp backup.sql s3://manual-backups/

2. Configuration Backup:
   kubectl get configmap -n vapora -o yaml > config.yaml
   aws s3 cp config.yaml s3://manual-backups/

3. Manual Deployment (if automation down):
   kubectl apply -f manifests/
   kubectl rollout status deployment/vapora-backend

Performed by: [Name]
Time: [UTC]
Verified by: [Name]
```

---

## Resource Requirements

### Personnel

```
Required Team (Level 1 Incident):
- Incident Commander (1): Directs response
- Database Specialist (1): Database recovery
- Infrastructure Specialist (1): Infrastructure/K8s
- Operations Engineer (1): Monitoring/verification
- Communications Lead (1): Stakeholder updates
- Executive Sponsor (1): Decision making

Total: 6 people minimum

Available 24/7:
- On-call rotations cover all time zones
- Escalation to backup personnel if needed
```

### Infrastructure

```
Required Infrastructure (Minimum):
- Primary data center: 99.5% uptime SLA
- Backup data center: Available within 2 hours
- Network: Redundant connectivity, 99.9% SLA
- Storage: Geo-redundant, 99.99% durability
- Communication: Slack, email, phone all operational

Failover Targets:
- Alternate cloud region: Pre-configured
- On-prem backup: Tested quarterly
- Third-party hosting: As last resort
```

### Technology Stack

```
Essential Systems:
✓ kubectl (Kubernetes CLI)
✓ AWS CLI (S3, EC2 management)
✓ Git (code access)
✓ Email/Slack (communication)
✓ VPN (access to infrastructure)
✓ Backup storage (accessible from anywhere)

Testing Requirements:
- Test failover: Quarterly
- Test restore: Monthly
- Update tools: Annually
```

---

## Escalation Paths

### Escalation Decision Tree

```
Initial Alert
    ↓
Can on-call resolve within 15 minutes?
  YES → Proceed with resolution
  NO → Escalate to Level 2
    ↓
Can Level 2 team resolve within 30 minutes?
  YES → Proceed with resolution
  NO → Escalate to Level 3
    ↓
Can Level 3 team resolve within 1 hour?
  YES → Proceed with resolution
  NO → Activate full DR procedures
    ↓
Incident Commander takes full control
All personnel mobilized
Executive decision making engaged
```

### Contact Escalation

```
Level 1 (On-Call):
- Primary: [Name] [Phone]
- Backup: [Name] [Phone]
- Response SLA: 5 minutes

Level 2 (Senior Engineer):
- Primary: [Name] [Phone]
- Backup: [Name] [Phone]
- Response SLA: 15 minutes

Level 3 (Management):
- Engineering Manager: [Name] [Phone]
- Operations Manager: [Name] [Phone]
- Response SLA: 30 minutes

Executive (CTO/VP):
- CTO: [Name] [Phone]
- VP Operations: [Name] [Phone]
- Response SLA: 15 minutes
```

---

## Business Continuity Testing

### Test Schedule

```
Monthly:
- Backup restore test (data only)
- Alert notification test
- Contact list verification

Quarterly:
- Full disaster recovery drill
- Failover to alternate region
- Complete service recovery simulation

Annually:
- Full comprehensive BCP review
- Stakeholder review and sign-off
- Update based on lessons learned
```

### Monthly Test Procedure

```bash
def monthly_bc_test [] {
  print "=== Monthly Business Continuity Test ==="

  # 1. Backup test
  print "Testing backup restore..."
  # (See backup strategy procedures)

  # 2. Notification test
  print "Testing incident notifications..."
  send_test_alert()  # All team members get alert

  # 3. Verify contacts
  print "Verifying contact information..."
  # Call/text one contact per team

  # 4. Document results
  print "Test complete"
  # Record: All tests passed / Issues found
}
```

### Quarterly Disaster Drill

```bash
def quarterly_dr_drill [] {
  print "=== Quarterly Disaster Recovery Drill ==="

  # 1. Declare simulated disaster
  declare_simulated_disaster("database-corruption")

  # 2. Activate team
  notify_team()
  activate_incident_command()

  # 3. Execute recovery procedures
  # Restore from backup, redeploy services

  # 4. Measure timings
  record_rto()  # Recovery Time Objective
  record_rpa()  # Recovery Point Objective

  # 5. Debrief
  print "Comparing results to targets:"
  print "RTO Target: 4 hours"
  print "RTO Actual: [X] hours"
  print "RPA Target: 1 hour"
  print "RPA Actual: [X] minutes"

  # 6. Identify improvements
  record_improvements()
}
```

---

## Key Contacts & Resources

### 24/7 Contact Directory

```
TIER 1 - IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
Position: On-Call Engineer
Name: [Rotating roster]
Primary Phone: [Number]
Backup Phone: [Number]
Slack: @on-call

TIER 2 - SENIOR SUPPORT
Position: Senior Database Engineer
Name: [Name]
Phone: [Number]
Slack: @[name]

TIER 3 - MANAGEMENT
Position: Operations Manager
Name: [Name]
Phone: [Number]
Slack: @[name]

EXECUTIVE ESCALATION
Position: CTO
Name: [Name]
Phone: [Number]
Slack: @[name]
```

### Critical Resources

```
Documentation:
- Disaster Recovery Runbook: /docs/disaster-recovery/
- Backup Procedures: /docs/disaster-recovery/backup-strategy.md
- Database Recovery: /docs/disaster-recovery/database-recovery-procedures.md
- This BCP: /docs/disaster-recovery/business-continuity-plan.md

Access:
- Backup S3 bucket: s3://vapora-backups/
- Secondary infrastructure: [Details]
- GitHub repository access: [Details]

Tools:
- kubectl config: ~/.kube/config
- AWS credentials: Stored in secure vault
- Slack access: [Workspace]
- Email access: [Details]
```

---

## Review & Approval

### BCP Sign-Off

```
By signing below, stakeholders acknowledge they have reviewed
and understand this Business Continuity Plan.

CTO: _________________ Date: _________
VP Operations: _________________ Date: _________
Engineering Manager: _________________ Date: _________
Database Team Lead: _________________ Date: _________

Next Review Date: [Quarterly from date above]
```

---

## BCP Maintenance

### Quarterly Review Process

1. **Schedule Review** (3 weeks before expiration)
   - Calendar reminder sent
   - Team members notified

2. **Assess Changes**
   - Any new services deployed?
   - Any team changes?
   - Any incidents learned from?
   - Any process improvements?

3. **Update Document**
   - Add new procedures if needed
   - Update contact information
   - Revise recovery objectives if needed

4. **Conduct Drill**
   - Test updated procedures
   - Measure against objectives
   - Document results

5. **Stakeholder Review**
   - Present updates to team
   - Get approval signatures
   - Communicate to organization

### Annual Comprehensive Review

1. **Full Strategic Review**
   - Are recovery objectives still valid?
   - Has business changed?
   - Are we meeting RTO/RPA consistently?

2. **Process Improvements**
   - What worked well in past year?
   - What could be improved?
   - Any new technologies available?

3. **Team Feedback**
   - Gather feedback from recent incidents
   - Get input from operations team
   - Consider lessons learned

4. **Update and Reapprove**
   - Revise critical sections
   - Update all contact information
   - Get new stakeholder approvals

---

## Summary

**Business Continuity at a Glance**:

| Metric | Target | Status |
|--------|--------|--------|
| **RTO** | 4 hours | On track |
| **RPA** | 1 hour | On track |
| **Monthly uptime** | 99.9% | 99.95% |
| **Backup frequency** | Hourly | Hourly |
| **Restore test** | Monthly | Monthly |
| **DR drill** | Quarterly | Quarterly |

**Key Success Factors**:
1. ✅ Regular testing (monthly backups, quarterly drills)
2. ✅ Clear roles & responsibilities
3. ✅ Updated contact information
4. ✅ Well-documented procedures
5. ✅ Stakeholder engagement
6. ✅ Continuous improvement

**Next Review**: [Date + 3 months]