Critical Thinking Activity: Module 11

Question 1

1. Why is it important for an organization such as HAL to have a cold site like the one described?

Answer 1

A cold site is important for an organization like HAL because it provides a cost-effective alternative for disaster recovery planning. In the event of a disaster or disruption, HAL can quickly and efficiently recover its critical IT systems and data by restoring them from backups stored at the cold site.

Question 2

2. What features would HAL be looking for in a cold site like this?

Answer 2

HAL would be looking for a cold site that has the necessary infrastructure to support its IT systems, including power, cooling, and network connectivity. The cold site should also have the required physical and environmental security features to ensure that HAL’s data and systems are protected.

Question 3

3. What major items should be on Juan’s checklist?

Answer 3

Juan’s checklist should include items such as:

Adequate power and cooling capacity
Redundant network connectivity
Sufficient physical and environmental security measures
Appropriate levels of insurance coverage
Regular testing and maintenance of the recovery site

Question 4

Ethical Decision Making

Suppose that as the negotiations for the recovery site proceeded, Ms. Novak informed Juan that she would like to “make some adjustments” to the contract that would make it cost “just a little bit more” for HAL in the event the recovery plan was activated. She would give Juan an envelope of gift cards worth about $1000 if he would “look the other way” on these changes during the contracting process. Is this an ethical thing for Juan to do? Do you think it is legal?

Answer 4

No, it is not ethical for Juan to accept the gift cards and look the other way on changes to the contract that would increase the cost to HAL. This behavior would be considered bribery and would violate ethical standards of honesty and integrity. Furthermore, accepting a bribe could result in legal consequences, as it is illegal to accept bribes in most jurisdictions. Juan should decline the offer and report the incident to his superiors.