SOC 2 A1.3: Availability - Recovery Plan Testing

Build a recovery testing schedule covering all critical systems and processes. Specify which systems get tested, the test type (tabletop, functional, or full failover), frequency, required participants, and success criteria including RTO and RPO targets. Every critical system should be tested at least annually.

Use different types of tests based on system criticality. Tabletop exercises walk through recovery procedures to spot procedural gaps. Functional tests involve actual recovery activities in a controlled setting, like restoring data to a test environment. Full failover tests simulate a complete disaster by switching operations to your DR environment. Use a progressive approach - start with tabletop, then advance to full failover.

Document test plans and results thoroughly. For each test, record the objective, scope, test scenario (what disruption you're simulating), step-by-step activities, actual recovery time compared to the RTO target, data integrity verification results, issues and observations, and corrective actions identified.

Bring all relevant stakeholders into recovery testing. Include operations, engineering, security, business unit representatives, and management. Everyone should understand their role during a recovery event and participate in verifying that recovered services meet business requirements.

Track and fix issues found during testing. Create action items for each gap, assign owners, set remediation timelines, and verify fixes through subsequent testing. Maintain a tracking mechanism showing issues are actually resolved, not just documented.

Report test results to management and the board. Summarise test activities, results, gaps, and remediation status. Flag any cases where recovery times exceeded RTO targets or data loss exceeded RPO targets. Use test results to justify investments in recovery infrastructure improvements when needed.