Lead Disaster Recovery Manager

Lead Disaster Recovery Manager. Review available formats, prerequisites, current inclusions and certification terms before booking.

PECBLead5 daysLiveSelf-pacedIn-house

Practitioner-led, taught by a working CISO

Taught by

Christophe Mazzola

Practicing CISO · Founder of Cyber Academy

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For

Right fit if you are.

✓Individuals responsible for establishing and maintaining an ICT disaster recovery plan in an organisation
✓Professionals responsible for implementing and testing disaster recovery strategies
✓Consultants and professionals conducting risk assessments and business impact analyses
✓Professionals responsible for disaster recovery testing and performance measurement
✓Individuals who maintain the IT infrastructure and must ensure its recoverability
✓Members of a disaster recovery team seeking structured training

Honest call

NOT for. When to skip it.

We'd rather you keep your money than buy the wrong path.

✗Individuals with no prior knowledge of IT systems or business operations who would benefit from foundational training first
✗Professionals seeking a cybersecurity incident response course rather than a disaster recovery planning programme
✗Those looking for a general business continuity management certification preparation course focused on ISO 22301 rather than ICT disaster recovery

Outcomes

What you'll be able to do

1Explain the fundamental concepts of disaster recovery, including recovery tiers and their significance
2Initiate a disaster recovery planning process within an organisational context
3Conduct a business impact analysis to identify critical functions and recovery priorities
4Perform a risk assessment to identify threats and vulnerabilities relevant to disaster recovery planning
5Develop a comprehensive disaster recovery plan addressing people, processes, and technology
6Implement and test disaster recovery strategies using appropriate exercises and simulations
7Activate a disaster recovery plan and manage damage assessment and containment activities
8Conduct a post-recovery review to capture lessons learned and improve future response

Programme

Day by day

Day 1Introduction to disaster recovery management and initiation of the disaster recovery planning process

Fundamental concepts and tiers of disaster recovery
Participants review core disaster recovery terminology, the concept of recovery tiers, and the role of an ICT disaster recovery plan within an organisation's broader resilience strategy.
Disaster recovery governance and planning initiation
This module examines how to establish the scope, objectives, and governance structures needed to begin a formal disaster recovery planning process, including stakeholder roles and resource allocation.

By end of day

• Define disaster recovery tiers and explain their implications for recovery time and recovery point objectives
• Outline the governance and scoping steps required to initiate a disaster recovery planning project

Day 2Business impact analysis, risk assessment, and recovery strategies

Business impact analysis
Learners explore how to identify critical business functions, determine the impact of disruptions over time, and establish recovery time and recovery point objectives.
Risk assessment for disaster recovery
This module covers risk identification, analysis, and evaluation techniques used to prioritise threats and vulnerabilities that could trigger a disaster recovery event.
Recovery strategies
Participants examine a range of recovery strategies, including hot, warm, and cold site approaches, cloud-based recovery, and data backup methodologies, and learn how to select strategies aligned with BIA outcomes.

By end of day

• Conduct a business impact analysis that produces prioritised recovery objectives for critical functions
• Select recovery strategies that are proportionate to the risks identified and the organisation's recovery objectives

Day 3Supporting infrastructure, communication, documentation of the DRP, and training and awareness

Supporting infrastructure for disaster recovery
This module addresses the technical and logistical infrastructure elements that must be in place to support execution of the disaster recovery plan, including telecommunications, power, and alternate facilities.
Communication and coordination during a disaster
Participants learn how to design communication trees, define escalation paths, and coordinate with internal teams and external parties during a disaster event.
Documenting the disaster recovery plan
This module covers best practices for structuring, writing, and maintaining the formal DRP document, ensuring clarity, accessibility, and version control.
Training and awareness for disaster recovery
Learners examine how to develop training programmes and awareness activities that prepare staff to execute their disaster recovery responsibilities effectively.

By end of day

• Produce a structured and maintainable disaster recovery plan document covering all key components
• Design a communication and coordination framework for use during a declared disaster

Day 4Disaster recovery tests and exercises, activation of the DRP, damage assessment and containment, and post-recovery review

Disaster recovery testing and exercises
This module covers the range of testing methods, including tabletop exercises, functional tests, and full-scale simulations, and explains how to plan, execute, and evaluate each type.
Activation of the disaster recovery plan
Participants examine the triggers, decision criteria, and procedures for formally activating the DRP, including notification processes and command structures.
Damage assessment and containment
This module addresses how to assess the scope of damage to ICT assets, prioritise containment actions, and manage recovery sequencing to restore critical services first.
Post-recovery review
Learners explore how to conduct a structured after-action review following a disaster or test, capturing lessons learned and translating them into improvements to the DRP.

By end of day

• Plan and execute a disaster recovery test programme using methods appropriate to organisational maturity
• Conduct a post-recovery review that produces actionable improvements to the disaster recovery plan

Day 5Certification exam

PECB Certified Lead Disaster Recovery Manager exam
The exam assesses knowledge and competence in disaster recovery planning, implementation, testing, and post-recovery review as defined in the PECB Examination and Certification Program.

By end of day

• Consolidate and apply knowledge from all four days of instruction in preparation for the PECB Certified Lead Disaster Recovery Manager exam

Public sessions

Upcoming public sessions

Open-enrolment cohorts. Pick a date and book your seat. Want a private cohort for your team instead? Request an in-house quote.

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Deep dive

Everything inside this certification

The detail behind the headline. Read at your own pace. Each section answers a buyer question we get on discovery calls.

Domain 1: Fundamental concepts of disaster recovery
Domain 2: Planning disaster recovery
Domain 3: Development and activation of the disaster recovery plan
Domain 4: Selection of the disaster recovery site and competence development
Domain 5: Disaster recovery testing and maintenance

Developing a disaster recovery plan
Conducting risk assessments for disaster recovery
Conducting disaster recovery BIAs
Selecting and implementing disaster recovery strategies
Testing and implementing disaster recovery plans

Certification Rules and Policies

Certification and examination fees are included in the price of the training course.
Participants will be provided with training course materials containing over 400 pages of information, practical examples, exercises, and quizzes.
An attestation of course completion worth 31 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued to the participants who have attended the training course.
Candidates who have completed the training course but failed the exam are eligible to retake the exam once for free within a 12 month period from the initial date of the exam.

Educational Approach

The training is based both on theoretical concepts and best practices for disaster recovery planning.
The training course comprises practical exercises (some of which are based on a case study) and multiple-choice quizzes (some of which are based on scenarios).
The structure of quizzes is similar to that of the certification exam.

FAQ

Buyers always ask

What is the difference between finishing this training, passing the exam, and holding a PECB disaster recovery credential?+

Completing the training means you have engaged with all content delivered across the five-day programme. Passing the PECB Certified Lead Disaster Recovery Manager exam demonstrates that you have met the knowledge benchmarks defined in PECB's Examination and Certification Program.

A PECB credential is issued only after you pass the exam and satisfy any professional-experience requirements set by PECB. Cyber Academy provides the training content; exam registration and certification applications are handled separately through PECB.

What is the difference between disaster recovery and business continuity management, and does this course cover both?+

Business continuity management addresses the broad range of measures an organisation takes to maintain critical operations during and after a disruption, covering people, processes, facilities, and technology. Disaster recovery management is a subset focused specifically on restoring ICT systems, data, and infrastructure following a disruptive event.

This programme concentrates on ICT disaster recovery planning, covering business impact analysis, risk assessment, and recovery strategy in that context. Participants seeking full ISO 22301 business continuity management coverage should consider a dedicated BCM programme.

Why does the programme dedicate a full day to testing, activation, and post-recovery review?+

A disaster recovery plan that has never been tested provides limited assurance. Day 4 reflects the recognition that planning value is only realised when the DRP is exercised, gaps are identified, and improvements are made. Testing also prepares recovery teams to execute the plan under pressure.

The inclusion of post-recovery review reinforces a continual improvement cycle, ensuring that both planned exercises and actual events generate lessons that strengthen future resilience.

How does the business impact analysis covered on Day 2 inform recovery strategy selection?+

The business impact analysis identifies which functions are most critical to the organisation and quantifies the consequences of their unavailability over time. The outputs, particularly recovery time objectives and recovery point objectives, directly determine which recovery strategies are feasible and proportionate.

By completing the BIA before evaluating strategies such as hot sites, cloud failover, or tape backup, participants learn to make evidence-based decisions rather than selecting strategies based on cost or familiarity alone.

Is this programme relevant for organisations that host workloads in the cloud rather than on-premises data centres?+

Yes. The recovery strategies module covers cloud-based recovery approaches alongside traditional site-based options. Cloud hosting introduces shared-responsibility considerations for data backup, failover configuration, and service restoration that are addressed within the broader disaster recovery framework taught in this programme.

Participants from organisations with hybrid or fully cloud-hosted environments will be able to apply the BIA, risk assessment, and plan documentation skills to their specific infrastructure context.

Next step

Where this leads

Pillar guide

Read the full Operational resilience guide

How DORA, NIS 2 and ISO 22301 interlock when the lights go out.

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