Survivability

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In systems and networks, the ability to recover and continue in operation, even with a degraded level of service.

Organizations and individuals alike want their technology to survive attacks, failures, and accidents, but the technology in computer systems, software, and network infrastructure components changes frequently and is vulnerable to disruption. System administrators, a term which can now apply not only to professionals but also to owners of home computer systems, need a solid educational foundation in order to react to technology changes, minimize disruptions, and manage their computer systems and network infrastructure components. The ten principles of survivability and information assurance described here create just such a foundation.

• Principle 1: Survivability is an enterprise-wide concern.
  
• Principle 2: Everything is data.
  
• Principle 3: Not all data is of equal value to the enterprise ? risk must be managed.
  
• Principle 4: Information assurance policy governs actions.
  
• Principle 5: Identification of users, computer systems, and network infrastructure components is critical.
  
• Principle 6: Survivable Functional Units (SFUs) are a helpful way to think about an enterprise?s networks.
  
• Principle 7: Security Knowledge in Practice (SKiP) provides a structured approach.
  
• Principle 8: The road map guides implementation choices (all technology is not equal).
  
• Principle 9: Challenge assumptions to understand risk.
  
• Principle 10: Communication skill is critical to reach all constituencies.
  

Check also Principles of Survivability and Information Assurance∞.

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