i need information on disaster recovery for a company in the UK.
The company trades from 7000 square foot, in london, a mixture of
office and warehouse space in one building.  Full IT network in place
inc telephone system (server plus 75 handsets)and medium level
computer system (3 servers and seventy desk tops, 5 printers,75
employees.  Information will be about  what to do if current premises
are destroyed (eg world trade centre).  Specifically focusing on
copmnaies that offer an insurance policy like scheme that provides an
IMMEDIATE temporary location, fully kitted out with telephones and
computer infrastruture.  The key to the requirement is the need for
speed to start trading again. Max time between calling componay and
office/ warehouse operational would be 3-4 days. Would they provide
manpower to help set up systems and organise or is it just premises. 
Are they available
immediately (must be).  What is cost??.  Premises must provide for
office and warehousing.  
Specifically Looking for companies that specialise in providing total
disaster recovery services, not a "Regus" style office solution or an
IT company that just does computer side.

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Request for Question Clarification by kyrie26-ga on 09 Nov 2002 14:23 PST

db10-ga :

What city are you located in? Thanks.

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Clarification of Question by db10-ga on 09 Nov 2002 15:45 PST

london

<ISS Ark & General is the UK’s leading disaster management and
recovery. They have a wide range of experience in dealing with fires,
floods, and bombings, to a wide variety of buildings, particularly
factories, schools, offices, historic buildings, shops and people's
homes - and even football stadiums.

The advantage that Ark and General have over other companies is that
they have a large number of permanent staff who are specially trained
to clear away debris and salvage all significant property for
restoration. They have direct access to drying and restoration
equipment. Their staff are also able to immediately carry out
temporary repairs to make buildings functional.

The company has an emergency hotline so that they can spring into
action as soon as they are called. They have several branches accross
the UK so that they can quickly reach their clients.


One of their services is the ability to provide temporary substitute
structures and power up to industrial levels.


At their site you can download a free business continuity plan which
will help you in the process of planning for disasters.

They offer consultancy services to help you implement a disaster
planning policy.

The costs are based on an individual businesses’s  requirements. A
rough idea of the costs of housing office staff in temporary units can
be gauged by looking at the prices charged by companies like
SchlumbergerSema  who rent emergency office units. Each unit comprises
a desk, chair, computer, telephone and special requirements, such as
financial data newsfeeds. A position costs between E400 and E800
annually. Companies need to book these places in advance to be certain
of  a place when disaster strikes. Costs can be reduced by advance
planning. For example a company may decide that they can operate with
a skeleton staff in the rented units and make arrangements for other
personnel to work from home.
The costs of business interruption can be offset by taking out an
insurance policy against losses in profit.
Typical policies usually pay out for 80 % of losses.  For example if
you need £10,000 worth of cover a month, The premium will be around
£2400 per year.>

<Additional links.>
<ISS Ark and General>
<http://www.arkgen.co.uk/home.html>

<Crisis Cover.>
<http://www.arkgen.co.uk/crisis3.html>

<Disaster Insurance.>
<http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/mtg/20000518i.asp>

<Business continuity and disaster management plans.>
<http://www.prubusiness.co.uk/m1/jsp/skins/prubusiness/jsp/standalone/business-continuity.jsp>

<MTV case study.>
<http://www.synstar.com/mtv.html>

<Thinking the unthinkable.>
<http://www.cfoeurope.com/200203h.html>

<Schlumberger sema business continuity.>
<http://www.slb.com/Hub/Docs/SchlumbergerSema/buscont/>



<Search strategy:>

<disaster recovery>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=disaster+recovery>

<disaster recovery management" uk>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22disaster+recovery+management%22+uk+>

<iss ark and general>
<://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=iss+ark+and+general>


<Hope this helps.>

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Request for Answer Clarification by db10-ga on 10 Nov 2002 23:59 PST

thanks for the answer

the name and details of ARK seems to be exactly what i am looking for.
 I will call them shortly to confoirm.  However i will need to contact
at least three companies to get competitive quotes.  Are their any
others??

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Clarification of Answer by belindalevez-ga on 11 Nov 2002 01:16 PST

<ISS Ark and General appear to be the only company that offers a
complete disaster management service.

Two companies Schlumberger and Synstar both offer business continuity
services but these are limited to just providing office space and data
backup. They don’t do any of the clearing up of damaged premises and
salvaging of building contents that is one of Ark and General’s
services. Also your requirements for emergency warehousing will not be
satisfied by Schlumberger and Synstar.>


<Additional links:>

<synstar>
<http://www.synstar.com/mtv.html> 
 

<Schlumberger sema business continuity.> 
<http://www.slb.com/Hub/Docs/SchlumbergerSema/buscont/>



<Hope this helps.>