This book examines the causes of computer systems failures and explains how to create a disaster recovery plan that will help businesses to avoid many disasters and/or minimize their impact. It incorporates the recovery requirements of new technologies, including PCs, LANs, departmental processors, and communications systems. It provides a detailed analysis of disaster avoidance systems that can prevent some disasters from occurring. And, it covers the politics of disaster recovery planning from selling management and securing the cooperation of departmental managers, to negotiating effective contracts with vendors of disaster recovery products and services.