Information technology consultant Paragon Bermuda, Ltd. is working with market leader Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services of Illinois and United System Solutions to develop a Lotus Notes-based recovery planning product.

Paragon president Paul Ryan explained the product was a tool that helped companies plan ways in which they could recover quickly enough from disasters to limit business interruption.

Mr. Ryan said, "In the event of a disaster, companies have to have a number of things that include a documented plan in the form of a manual. It tells you who does what, when they do it and how they do it. You also need an alternate site from which you can operate. If your building is knocked down by a hurricane, you need to be able to go somewhere else to continue conducting your business.

"What we're providing is an automated tool that helps you develop the manual, the actual plan. What has been developed is a software package, an application that people run on their PC. It's a methodology or framework that helps people develop disaster recovery plans very quickly and comprehensively.'' The product, "Continue for Lotus Notes'' will be available this autumn, based on Comdisco's award winning ComPAS methodology, providing a step-by-step process of developing, testing and implementing a comprehensive, integrated business continuity plan.

Mr. Ryan said, "The first time I used ComPAS to develop a disaster recovery plan for a client, I recognised the synergy between the groupware capabilities of Lotus Notes and the requirements of business recovery planners. The ability to share information between recovery team members, collaborate on the development of recovery plans through replication, and attach virtually any type of existing documents to the plan, all make Notes a natural environment for recovery planning. Comdisco's recovery methodology is the world's best, most comprehensive approach. By providing that methodology in Windows and Notes environments, we are giving clients the opportunity to decide which technical environment is best suited to their organisations.'' Senior vice president and general manager of Comdisco Professional Services John Jackson, said, "ComPAS is an industry-leading business continuity software product. Now, in partnership with Paragon and United System, we're offering Notes users a valuable planning tool that will assist them in developing a complete, end-to-end recovery system.'' Mr. Jackson said, "As technology becomes more crucial to daily business functions, the need for enterprisewide recovery planning becomes more urgent.

This trend, coupled with the growth of Lotus Notes use, focused Comdisco, Paragon and United System on the need to expand planning software capabilities to accommodate a wider scope of customers.'' Paragon, which was incorporated here last September, provides management consulting, facilities management and disaster recovery planning support to its local and international clients, which include many of the world's largest insurers and reinsurers.