SUMMARY: A recovery rehearsal tests whether the site can return to stable operation before failure makes the test urgent.
Recovery plans decay when they are only documents. Login flows change. plugins update. routes move. moderators forget which queue matters first. A rehearsal keeps recovery practical by making the next response familiar before pressure arrives.
The goal is not drama. The goal is proof that the site can absorb a problem and keep its story coherent.
Rehearsal Checks
Access: confirm administrator login, registration behavior, password recovery, and member-only gates.
Visibility: confirm archive, noise, news, gallery, forum, and chat pages respond as expected.
Moderation: confirm comments, forum topics, chat messages, and suspicious accounts can be reviewed without confusion.
Rollback: confirm recent changes can be identified, backed out, or patched without guessing.
Where to Use It
Use recovery rehearsals with threat sketches. The sketch names what could go wrong. The rehearsal tests whether the first response is ready.
Operator Rule
Practice the response while the system is calm enough to teach you.
Field assessment: recovery is easier when the route has already been walked.