Geopolitical conflicts are common and ongoing, but they are also unique. They can be sudden and extreme in nature – such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine – or slow to burn with simmering tensions, such as the relationship between the US and China.
Most global banks and international companies will have disaster recovery playbooks to serve as a guide on how to support staff, comply with global and local regulations, and maintain IT and infrastructure in the wake of extreme conditions. Modern technology also means that most infrastructure is maintained via networked computers and accessed via cloud platforms. Whether it be a possible European war with Russia or the unpredictability of a once-in-a-century global pandemic, these incidents have very little impact on a global organisation’s IT operational resiliency.
Generally, maintaining business and IT operations during conflict is made possible via the use of flexible architecture, networked computing and cloud delivery, leaving support for staff as the most complicated and messy part of any conflict response plan. However, the threat of cyber attacks remains a constant issue and is even more complicated to protect against during extreme events.
The ongoing war in Ukraine is causing significant disruption to the political framework of Europe and the financial markets. However, the technology and business operations are holding up. From an IT point of view, geopolitical conflict is most disruptive from a human perspective.
