| Table 1: Disaster Levels | |||||
| Level | Downtime | Typical Causes | Business Location Available? | Number of People Affected | Business Impact |
| One | 4 hours or less | Single workstation failure | Yes | Three or fewer | Low |
| Two | 24 hours or less | Server failure, WAN disruption | Yes | Four or more | Low |
| Three | 72 hours or less | Water leak, extended power failure | No | 10 or more | Moderate |
| Four | More than 72 hours | Earthquake, flood, terrorist attack, war | No | 10 or more | High |