Among the suggestions offered Wednesday by a Gartner analyst at the research firm's data center conference in Las Vegas: Store 42 gallons of water per data center worker -- enough for a six-week quarantine -- and don't forget food, medical care, cooking facilities, sanitation issues and electricity.

In a quarantined environment, "you are not going anywhere," said Gartner analyst Ken McGee. As well as ensuring that their own operations continue during such a pandemic, IT managers should also review the contingency plans of their vendors, he said.

Vendor contracts should include service guarantees and "extraordinarily harsh terms if that vendor does not come through," said McGee.

Among those in the audience during McGee's presentation at the conference was John Stingl, the chief technology officer of Russell Investment Group. During the presentation, McGee said later, he sent a note on his handheld to his administrative assistant to arrange a meeting back at his Tacoma, Wash.-based office about his company's pandemic-specific planning.

Stingl said his company has a good disaster recovery and business continuity plan. But after hearing McGee's stark warning, he said he wants to know more about his firm's plans for a pandemic. "It was an eye-opener," Stingl said of the presentation.