What does the recovery plan ensure regarding data preservation?

The recovery plan plays a critical role in ensuring that data preservation is effectively managed during recovery efforts. When a recovery plan is formulated, one of its primary objectives is to ensure that the recovery process does not face significant hindrances due to the preservation of data. This means that measures must be in place to protect data integrity and accessibility, enabling quick restoration without causing unnecessary delays or complications.

Preserving data is essential not only for maintaining operational continuity but also for compliance with regulatory requirements and ensuring that critical information is recoverable in the event of a disaster or outage. Therefore, having a recovery plan that does not impede recovery efforts is fundamental to achieving a seamless transition back to normal operations.

This choice aligns with the overall goals of a recovery plan within the NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection framework, which prioritizes minimizing disruptions and optimizing the recovery timeline while ensuring data is adequately preserved throughout the process.