Checklist for the Hotel Information Technology (IT) equipment

1. Telephone Exchange or EPBAX:

• Are there enough phones and extension numbers available?

• The PABX or EPBX is working fine and connected to the Hotel Software.

• All Messages and Wake calls are performed without any errors.

• Is there a sufficient pool of reserve numbers for overloaded extensions? This aims especially at the extensions of key personnel for crisis situations that take longer than expected.

2. Days Teleconference Conference Details:

• Are preparations for conference calls known and arranged?

• Is an adequate number of stable internet connections available?

• Is the access information for the own server available and does it include the right to modify files and pages (writing rights)?

• Are special e-mail addresses set up?

3. Fax Machines:

• Are fax machines available?

• Is a sufficient number of computers available?

• Are they connected to a network?

• Are soft- and hardware up-to-date and are they compatible with new standards (e.g. USB)?

• Are Laptops available for temporary staff?

4. Mobile Phones for Staff Use:

• Is a sufficient number of mobile phones available?

• Are reserve numbers for key personnel available? (see point 1b)

• Have enough batteries been charged and are enough reserve batteries available?

• Consider during the planning process that mobile telephone systems are frequently jammed in crisis situations. Therefore, if possible, ensure preference access to the mobile telephone systems or alternative communication channels such as short-range two-way radio communications (walkie-talkies).

• If necessary use satellite telephones for key personnel.

5. Web Conference Equipment:

• Are digital cameras available? (for internal communications or website)

• Are web cameras available? (for video conferences)

• Are video cameras available? (for the transmission of situation reports to the control and command centre and for documentation purposes)

6. Power Backup and UPS Systems:

• Ensure power supply

• Keep batteries available

• Prepare for power loss (generators)

• Ensure all data backup tasks are running fine.

• Ensure all servers are running fine without any warnings or low disc space. 

6. Software Patch Management:

• Use only licensed and supported software to ensure that vulnerabilities are investigated and patches made available.

• Software updates and security patches must be installed as soon as they are available.

• Unsupported software should be removed from devices capable of connecting to the internet.

• Use a patch management solution. If you hire a Managed IT Services Provider, they usually offer patch management solution to fit your business requirements.

7. Anti-malware and Anti-virus Software:

• Anti-malware software should be installed on all computers and mobile devices.

• The anti-malware software must be kept up to date.

• Configure the anti-malware software to scan files and web pages automatically and block malicious content.

8. Email and Internet Access:

• Use mail filters to protect against spam, malware, and phishing.

• Configure your devices to reject any directory harvesting attempts.

• Use an email filtering solution to filter both inbound and outbound messages. This will protect your users as well as your customers.

• Ensure that your anti-malware software scans all content including streaming media.

• Implement an Internet monitoring solution to provide your users with secure Internet access.

• Block any outbound traffic that can potentially be used to go around your Internet monitoring solution.

• Check the Bandwidth of the Internet in different areas both public areas and guest rooms to make sure the agreed bandwidth is available at all places.

9. Other Tasks:

• Are software manuals up-to-date?

• Check all Hotel Operation Softwares PMS, POS, SPA Software, Web Booking Engine, CRS software, CRM etc. are working fine.

• Check all related Interfaces or Services for all hotel systems are running fine.

• Check for any Interface or IFC error messages and notifications.

• Check for any failed posting notifications from any of the interfaces.

• Check for any failed bookings integration.

• Check the hotel website is up and running.

• Check the hotel web booking engine is working fine.

• Are important and necessary external numbers available (public authorities, association)?

• Can they easily be updated and extended during the crisis (ideally numbers are available through the intranet)?

• Is the list to alert staff Ideally to be sent via SMS prepared and up-to-date?

• Are email lists prepared and up-to-date? (it is recommendable to define in advance the different groups)