22 BULKDISTRIBUTOR
Contingency Planning
November/December 2015
IT systems can reduce disaster risk
Gordon Tutt explains how having the right software systems can help shippers to deal with disaster recovery
W
e have all experienced the frustration when a PC or
laptop crashes, when our internet connections fail or
our mobile devices cannot connect.
But when it comes to running a business this type of incident is
more than just a frustration and can be extremely costly. As the
need for technology increases so does dependence on its reliability.
When systems fail the cost to business can be massive, not only in
the decline in efficiency but also in getting the operation back to full
speed. The ability to keep staff informed during any failures can be
difficult, as communication is often driven using those same services
that may not be available. Communication with customers and
suppliers is also important, especially when service failures occur
following these events.
The shipper’s customers set their expectations high and require a
service that is not only reliable and cost effective but provides
visibility of the movement of goods.
Delays to the movement of goods and services can be costly to all
parties in the distribution chain. The process of recovery also adds
more costs to each party affected.
Disruption to the smooth running of any business is unfortunately
easily achieved. There are many ways in which a shipper’s operation
can be brought to a standstill. Power loss, transport disruption,
flood, and adverse weather are only a few. Those which damage or
remove you from your IT are even more serious. The longer the
disruption the greater the time it takes to recover.
Protecting customers
In recognising the costs any disruption causes, IT providers have
developed a variety of additional services to help safeguard their
customers. These services are diverse and wide ranging. Many of
these will have been included in the package they sell to their
customers. Software suppliers will ensure you have a reliable and
high availability system that meets your needs but will also continue
to develop and improve their s ystems.
Regrettably, disruption to IT systems can be as a result of malicious
damage as well as technical failures.
Security within business systems and the networks that they
operate is vital. IT providers can ensure the networks and access to
their software is safeguarded from malicious external attacks. They
can also ensure valid users have access only to those areas of the
systems authorised. Management of staff access to systems is also
important with a regular audit provided. Security of personal and
commercial data is also a vital element in any system.
Contingency Planning has also become key in order to manage
those type of events that are beyond the control of most companies.
Almost on a daily basis we read in the national press about events
which result in the evacuation of buildings due to fire, flood and
accidents. I know from personal experience the serious disruption
that results to any company that has had to leave their building at
short notice due to events outside their immediate control. As a
result of a major fire in an adjoining warehouse our building was
evacuated and operations disrupted for almost 24 hours. Fortunately
despite the extent and speed with which the fire spread no deaths or
injuries were sustained.
The operator of the warehouse in which the fire occurred was able
to restart their business operations within 24 hours due to their
contingency planning and the ability of their system providers to
provide systems in an alternative location using the data and
software held and backed up off site.
Disaster Recovery is often built into not only the systems you
use but also in the networks over which they operate. Many
system providers and networks will have an ability to switch over
to an alternative back up system in the event that their prime site
is not available. Many providers also have multiple power supply
sources and an ability to switch their communication via a
different route.
One new area which software providers are increasingly developing
is the ability to use mobile networks to safeguard any disruption to
business when access to the key systems used to run a business are
disrupted. The ability to not only communicate within the company
but maintain external communications with customers and suppliers
can be offered using mobile technology whilst any disruption within
the business is occurring.
Fallback arrangements are another area used in order to maintain
operations when key systems such as CHIEF (Customs Handling of
Import and Export Freight) and NCTS (New Computerised Transit
System) are not available. AFSS members have been actively
participating in recent years working on the provision of fallback
arrangements with the Community Service Providers (CSPs) and
HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs). The CSPs manage and
run the port systems and have demonstrated over many years that
they are able to offer a good reliable service at the ports and
airports. Often as a result of external failures and planned outages,
their links to CHIEF are unavailable. The ability to continue export
and import operations during any technical failure is key. Delaying
the export of goods can be very costly not only for the shipper but
for his customer.
As a trade association representing the Software Suppliers to the
Freight industry, AFSS constantly presses for improvements to those
UK and EU systems on which the shipper depends so heavily. While
continuity of service cannot always be guaranteed, it is important
that when the use of such systems is mandated in order for goods
to be moved and exported there needs to be high levels of
availability.
Regrettably, not all services provided by the various government
agencies meet the service levels we would expect and seek. It is
therefore important that we look for alternative electronic methods
by which trader’s systems can be used during any planned or
unplanned outage. Trade associations in the UK have an opportunity
to meet and work with various government agencies and
departments to ensure there is adequate provision both now and for
the future to keep trade moving and the UK Government has
recognised the need to develop the technology that links both trade
and population to government services.
Gordon Tutt is chairman of the Association of Freight Software
Suppliers