Resource Allocation Plan for Events

Document Date: November 7, 2024
Author: Kevin McCaffrey

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Purpose

The Resource Allocation Plan outlines the strategy for distributing resources based on event priority. The goal is to ensure that critical events receive the immediate attention they need, optimizing operational efficiency and minimizing business impact. This plan will serve as a guideline for resource distribution in response to operational events.

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Prioritization Framework

Resource allocation is driven by the categorization of events as outlined in the Event Categorization Guide. Events are assigned one of three priority levels: Critical, Major, or Minor.

1. Critical (High Impact) Events

• Resource Allocation:
  • Primary Team: Assign a dedicated response team with subject matter experts and high availability.
  • Backup Resources: Deploy backup resources from other teams if necessary to ensure continuous coverage.
  • Automation: Use automation to initiate immediate diagnostics or system failovers, but maintain human oversight for rapid intervention.
• Response Time:
  • Immediate response within minutes of detection.
  • Full resolution efforts commence without delay until the event is under control.
• Monitoring:
  • Continuous monitoring and real-time updates to leadership.
  • High-level oversight from the Operations Manager and Incident Response Lead.
• Examples:
  • Data breaches involving sensitive information.
  • Major system outages impacting critical business functions.
  • Events posing immediate safety risks.

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2. Major (Medium Impact) Events

• Resource Allocation:
  • Secondary Team: Assign available resources from the primary operational team. Allocate staff with relevant expertise but prioritize resource deployment after critical events are secured.
  • Automation: Implement automation where possible to perform initial diagnostics or mitigation actions.
• Response Time:
  • Respond within one hour of detection.
  • Allocate resources to work on the event as soon as critical incidents are stabilized.
• Monitoring:
  • Regular status updates to stakeholders, with an emphasis on progress and risk mitigation.
  • Periodic oversight by the Operations Manager.
• Examples:
  • Performance issues affecting non-critical systems.
  • Outages impacting secondary business processes.
  • Security incidents without an immediate threat to safety.

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3. Minor (Low Impact) Events

• Resource Allocation:
  • Tertiary Team: Assign resources as available, typically from general support staff or during lower-demand periods.
  • Automation: Maximize the use of automation to address and resolve these events, minimizing manual intervention.
• Response Time:
  • Respond within 24 hours or during scheduled maintenance windows.
  • Resolve when no higher-priority events are demanding resources.
• Monitoring:
  • Routine checks and periodic updates to the operations team.
  • Minimal oversight, with status reports as needed.
• Examples:
  • Cosmetic UI errors.
  • Non-critical performance degradation.
  • Maintenance tasks or minor system adjustments.

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Escalation Procedures

• Critical Events: Immediate escalation to senior leadership, with regular updates and status reports. Escalate to higher authorities if the response is not effective within an acceptable timeframe.
• Major Events: Escalate to team leads if resolution is delayed. Notify the Operations Manager if the event shows signs of escalation.
• Minor Events: Escalate only if an event starts to impact other systems or operations.

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Resource Management Strategy

1. Resource Pooling

• Maintain a pool of specialized staff who can be redeployed as needed.
• Leverage cross-training to ensure operational flexibility, enabling staff to handle multiple types of events.

2. On-Call Schedules

• Establish on-call schedules for high-impact events, ensuring round-the-clock availability.
• Rotate on-call responsibilities among team members to prevent burnout.

3. Automation Utilization

• Automate as much as possible for lower-priority events to free up human resources for critical incidents.
• Examples include automatic scaling, routine diagnostics, and pre-configured remediation workflows.

4. Incident War Room

• For Critical events, set up an incident war room (virtual or physical) to coordinate response efforts and facilitate real-time communication.
• Ensure key decision-makers and technical experts are available to make immediate decisions.

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Communication and Coordination

1. High Impact Communication

• Critical Events:
  • Immediate communication to all key stakeholders, including leadership, affected departments, and external partners.
  • Regular updates every 15-30 minutes until the issue is resolved.
• Major Events:
  • Updates to stakeholders every 1-2 hours, with progress reports and expected resolution timelines.
• Minor Events:
  • Daily updates or as needed, primarily for informational purposes.

2. Communication Tools

• Use centralized platforms (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, or AWS Chatbot) for real-time communication and collaboration.
• Deploy automated alerts via Amazon SNS for timely notifications.

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Performance Review

• Post-Incident Analysis: Conduct a review after resolving major and critical events to identify improvement areas in resource allocation.
• Metrics: Track response times, resource usage, and resolution efficiency to refine future allocation strategies.