Free, no sign-up to start: the plan opens as a live, editable Gantt chart. 12 tasks across 3 phases, about 6 weeks if every task runs in sequence.
What's in the template
| Phase | Task | Example duration |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare | Test scope and objectives | 3 days |
| Prepare | Review RTO and RPO targets | 2 days |
| Prepare | Update runbooks | 5 days |
| Prepare | Notify stakeholders | 2 days |
| Prepare | Verify backups and replication | 3 days |
| Test | Pre-test checks | 1 day |
| Test | Failover to recovery site | 1 day |
| Test | Validate applications and data | 1 day |
| Test | Failback to primary | 1 day |
| Learn | Test report | 3 days |
| Learn | Remediation actions | 15 days |
| Learn | Update DR plan | 3 days |
Durations are examples to replace with your own estimates, not benchmarks.
About this disaster recovery test plan
A disaster recovery (DR) test proves you can restore service within your recovery time objective (RTO) and lose no more data than your recovery point objective (RPO) allows. This plan covers preparation, the test itself, failing back, and fixing what the test exposed.
Keep the test day short and the preparation thorough. Durations are a working example for one application or system group.
Who it's for: IT operations managers, SRE teams and business continuity leads.
How to use it
- Open the plan. Click Open in the editor. The tasks load as a live Gantt chart without signing in.
- Fill in your targets. Rename the RTO and RPO row with your actual targets so the report can compare against them.
- Add systems. Add validation rows for each critical application.
- Share. Send a read-only link to stakeholders before the test window.
Planning tips
- Time each step on test day so the report shows actual recovery time.
- Include failback; it is often harder than failover.
- Track remediation actions to closure before the next test.
Frequently asked questions
- What are RTO and RPO?
- RTO is how quickly a service must be restored. RPO is how much data loss, measured in time, is acceptable.
- How often should DR be tested?
- Many organizations test at least yearly, and after major changes. Your policy or regulator may set a frequency.
- Is it free?
- Yes. Opening and editing the template is free, and a free account saves one project. Downloading the chart as PDF or CSV needs Solo.
Related templates
The free plan saves one project. Downloads (PDF, CSV) and more projects are on Solo, $12/month.