Episode 195: Business Impact Analysis (Domain 5)

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Business Impact Analysis (BIA) is the foundation of business continuity and disaster recovery planning, helping organizations understand which processes matter most and how downtime affects operations. In this episode, we break down how BIAs identify critical systems, estimate recovery time objectives (RTOs) and recovery point objectives (RPOs), and assess financial, operational, and reputational impacts of disruptions. We explore how BIA data feeds into decisions about backup strategies, failover architecture, and vendor selection. We also discuss how to conduct a BIA through interviews, process mapping, and dependency analysis—highlighting that the value of a BIA lies in its accuracy and how well it's aligned to real-world workflows. A strong BIA ensures that during a crisis, priorities are clear and recovery efforts are focused where they matter most.