Disaster Recovery in Focus After Sandy
Super storm Sandy (of November 2012) highlighted the need for robust disaster recovery procedures. Luckily, there was sufficient notice of the severity of the approaching storm and most businesses were able to take adequate precautions. But that will not always be the case.
Quality of DR
One of the critical parameters linked to business continuity is the quality of your disaster recovery procedures. As businesses depend more on Internet, data has become more critical. A recent Gartner Group study brought out that 40% of businesses that lose data in a disaster collapse within the next five years.
Although cloud computing provides a reliable solution to disaster recovery, there are many issues involved. DR planning needs a DR look at the subject and not simply an IT perspective. You need to think like the military does – self sufficiency and being able to handle multiple threats becomes the key.
Cloud-Based DR and Testing
Cloud based DR has a number of advantages. If you follow a virtualized approach to your primary servers, OS and applications, software patches are readied as images that can create new instances in any data center on the planet. Similarly, transactional data (changing regularly every day) should be replicated in data centers away from your primary ones. Thus if a Hurricane Sandy-style event were to wipe out your primary data center, you have everything available on a different location in mere minutes.
Compared to on-site backup using tape or hard disks, a cloud-based DR site can weather even catastrophic events. You can also fine-tune your cost and capabilities to get maximum value for money. Many companies also use their DR site to take the load off their main site in times of excess demand, and also check efficacy of DR procedures.
Focus on Networks
With basic DR capability becoming reliable and affordable, the focus is now shifting to networks. This is one component of your IT infrastructure that cannot be outsourced or virtualized. Besides this, you need to be able to map your old IP addresses, firewall rules and VLAN configuration rules. As a result, data center operators are now offering complete packages for DR.
DR Site Requirements
When you opt for DR packages, check the physical separation between your existing data centers and the DR center. Some cheaper Greenfield data centers were built on land prone to flooding. One major data center publishes information dating back several decades to prove that their site is intrinsically safe. Companies must ensure their data center uses different grids. There are accepted standards and audits of your disaster recovery sites. If these audits are performed regularly, there is certainty that when the push comes to shove, DR will work.
DR becoming easier?
Prior to Hurricane Sandy, many small and medium businesses found it hard to justify the additional expense of a DR site. However, it has become clear that expenses on DR are an insurance policy that will need to be taken out. Worsening weather, global warming, terrorism and hackers are making it essential to think seriously about DR.
Catastrophes like these are inevitable yet cannot be used as an excuse for businesses suspending operations. Every minute they are inoperative represents lost opportunity. This is why GMO Cloud makes sure that networks are on consistent uptime, facilities are well taken care of, and your company is safeguarded against the effects of natural disasters.
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About the Guest Author:
Sanjay Srivastava has been active in computing infrastructure and has participated in major projects on cloud computing, networking, VoIP and in creation of applications running over distributed databases. Due to a military background, his focus has always been on stability and availability of infrastructure. Sanjay was the Director of Information Technology in a major enterprise and managed the transition from legacy software to fully networked operations using private cloud infrastructure. He now writes extensively on cloud computing and networking and is about to move to his farm in Central India where he plans to use cloud computing and modern technology to improve the lives of rural folk in India.
