What has to be prepared before an unplanned outage for a temporary replacement solution?

If an important protective function fails unexpectedly, a critical transition period begins. A mobile replacement can help, for example in monitoring a damaged perimeter or in providing temporary visitor information. Whether it takes effect in time, however, depends on preparations made before the outage.

Determine protection needs and the transition period

The first step is to clarify which function could fail, which areas would be affected and which level of protection is required during the transition. This determines the requirements for the scope of performance and the provision time. A temporary solution has to fulfil the required function under the specific conditions; the mere availability of equipment is not enough.

The time until the solution is operational also belongs in the planning. Transport, access approval, set-up, configuration and function testing take time. Suitable bridging measures or operational restrictions have to be planned for this period.

Agree call-off and conditions of use

Who may order the solution, who can be reached and who takes over on site? IHK Berlin recommends defined alerting and decision-making structures, traceable emergency plans and known alternative suppliers, contractually prepared where appropriate [1].

For a temporary security solution it should therefore be clarified in advance which resources are actually committed, when they are available and which prerequisites the operator has to create. A contact list is no substitute for agreed provision.

On site, access routes, set-up areas, access permissions and the handover to ongoing security operations also have to be prepared. An independent power and communication supply can reduce external dependencies. Fields of view, radio conditions, operating time and the availability of the responsible staff still have to be checked.

Test readiness for use and keep it up to date

An exercise should cover the path from call-off to a usable protective function. Does information reach the intended recipients? Are operation and response clarified? Who confirms readiness for operation and later decides on the return to normal operation?

IHK Berlin recommends regular tests of emergency plans and the evaluation of exercises and incidents [1]. Changes to the site, organisation or technology have to be reflected in the preparation accordingly.

A temporary replacement becomes reliable when protection needs, provision and operational takeover fit together before the outage. An availability contract can support this, provided that services, deadlines and limits are agreed specifically and reviewed.

Read more: How can the suitability of temporary security measures be demonstrated? on testing the solution deployed, What do KRITIS requirements mean for temporary protection measures? on the legal context and Who needs which situational information during an operation? on planning recipients and access.

Context: research as of 2 November 2026. Applying the IHK recommendations to mobile security solutions, breaking down the provision time and the notes on operational takeover are editorial planning conclusions. No general obligation to provide replacement systems or availability contracts is derived from this. A temporary solution is not automatically equivalent to the failed system; its suitability and the operator’s obligations have to be assessed in each individual case. No delivery or response times are promised here.