Gartner urges IT managers to act quickly on pandemic planning

Computerworld - LAS VEGAS -- Gartner Inc. is recommending that businesses complete planning by the second quarter of next year for an influenza pandemic and in particular stock up on supplies that would be needed by data center workers.

Among the suggestions offered today by a Gartner analyst at the research firm's data center conference here: Store 42 gallons of water per data center worker -- enough for a six-week quarantine -- and don't forget food, medical care, cooking facilities, sanitation issues and electricity.

In a quarantined environment, "you are not going anywhere," said Gartner analyst Ken McGee. As well as ensuring that their own operations continue during such a pandemic, IT managers should also review the contingency plans of their vendors, he said.

Vendor contracts should include service guarantees and "extraordinarily harsh terms if that vendor does not come through," said McGee.

Among those in the audience during McGee's presentation at the conference was John Stingl, the chief technology officer of Russell Investment Group. During the presentation, Stingl said later, he sent a note on his handheld to his administrative assistant to arrange a meeting back at his Tacoma, Wash.-based office about his company's pandemic-specific planning.

Stingl said his company has a good disaster recovery and business continuity plan. But after hearing McGee's stark warning, he said he wants to know more about his firm's plans for a pandemic. "It was an eye-opener," Stingl said of the presentation.

McGee did not tell attendees that a pandemic is in the offing. But pandemics are regular occurrences in human history, and while it is unknown whether avian influenza will explode into global pandemic, the number of deaths related to it are creeping up -- and more appear possible as the disease spreads. Since 2003, 153 out of 258 people diagnosed with avian flu have died. "The point is [that] the degree of transmission seems to be increasing from human to human," he said.

Brad Kowal, associate director of the data center at Shands HealthCare in Gainesville, Fla., said his medical center has had its hands full dealing with business continuity planning aimed at protecting against hurricanes. "And then you throw this in [and are told to] get it done by the second quarter. It's literally stun and shock for me," he said.

McGee said pandemic planning costs should total no more than 5% of an IT budget and stressed that the burden shouldn't be absorbed by the IT budget alone. It should be shared throughout a company, he added.

Among the things companies should do, McGee said, is decide whether they intend to keep their data centers operating during a pandemic, and then, if they plan to keep operations going, consider planning for up to a 12-week quarantine.