| Every business should consider having a | | | | cold site will have the actual space needed to |
| well-defined Disaster Avoidance Plan that | | | | continue operations, but a time lapse will occur in |
| complements and improves on its disaster | | | | order to actually get the business up and running. |
| recovery strategy. Proper development and | | | | A cold site is an affordable option for small |
| implementation of both a plan and strategy will | | | | businesses that have limited staff and can survive |
| minimize downtime and ultimately improves | | | | from little or no data access for a period of one |
| business operations. | | | | to seven days. |
| Documenting a plan for disaster avoidance and | | | | Should a hot or cold site not be a viable option, |
| disaster recovery should occur simultaneously, | | | | there are companies that also offer offsite |
| since both complement each other. Plans are | | | | remote storage for a monthly or annual fee. |
| complete once both disaster avoidance and | | | | Oftentimes, these companies provide a full-service |
| disaster recovery are documented and approved | | | | contract to include daily backups during off-hours |
| by management personnel including IT, facilities | | | | and email confirmation of the backup to |
| and executive management. | | | | designated employees. The vast majority of |
| It's very common for disaster avoidance and | | | | these services offered are done via the Internet |
| disaster recovery not to be top priority for small | | | | using secure file encryption. |
| businesses running without an IT department. In | | | | By using these providers, small business owners |
| fact, many small businesses may have little or no | | | | and even personal computer users can backup |
| emergency planning for data loss or know how to | | | | their systems online and recover critical files |
| respond to a catastrophic disaster. | | | | should the need arise. In order to use one of |
| The reality is data interruptions or server crashes | | | | these services, a broadband Internet connection |
| could doom a thriving or developing business, | | | | to the online business is required and considering |
| especially those conducting a large share of | | | | the volume of data to be backed up will influence |
| business online. These businesses need to be | | | | cost. These online backup options are affordable |
| guaranteed they are up and running at least | | | | and should be implemented to create a third-tier |
| 99.75% of the time. The more time a business is | | | | back up for your "high-value" digital assets. |
| down, the more the bottom line suffers. This can | | | | The benefits of having a three-tiered backup is |
| be a challenging situation when businesses have | | | | truly realized when the need occurs. Ultimately, |
| real-time requests, all their information stored | | | | plans must be made for both disaster avoidance |
| online and bills to pay. | | | | and recovery. |
| Obviously, guarding against business downtime | | | | Should the need arise and a disaster plan has |
| resulting from any type of catastrophic event is | | | | been fully implemented, it is not a significant |
| of utmost importance to any business. This is | | | | problem responding to a data loss. |
| where disaster planning can eliminate unforeseen | | | | Conversely, should a disaster happen, catastrophic |
| events. RAID 5 server configurations are an | | | | data loss under this situation could prove doom to |
| excellent server build strategy to consider during | | | | the future of your business. With simple planning |
| the planning phase of business operations. When | | | | and implementation, all the gloom and doom can |
| set up correctly, RAID 5 can detect errors while | | | | be avoided. Also, communication to vendors and |
| the server is running and correct them without | | | | your clients that you have a multi-tiered backup |
| any data loss or downtime. This is critical in | | | | solution adds value to your company. |
| meeting the goal of 99.75% uptime. | | | | Here is a simple checklist to determine what |
| Despite this, disasters can still occur where the | | | | actions you should take when planning for disaster |
| server is physically removed or destroyed as a | | | | avoidance: |
| result of theft, fire, flood, tornado or hurricane. | | | | 1. What is our current disaster recovery |
| Proactive planning for these rare occurrences | | | | strategy? Objectively review the current disaster |
| ensures top-level management knows its staff is | | | | recovery plan in place. Make it a priority to |
| anticipating occurrences before they happen and | | | | implement one as soon as possible. |
| eliminating what-ifs associated with catastrophic | | | | 2. How is data being backed up and replicated |
| and unforeseen events. | | | | offsite? Determine exactly how data backups are |
| This is where redundancy and off-site backup | | | | currently being performed onsite and remotely. |
| storage come into play. The thinking behind | | | | 3. Does your business need a higher level of data |
| off-site storage is that while the primary site may | | | | backup? Determine whether your business could |
| be physically damaged, the remote site containing | | | | benefit from setting up a RAID 5 or 6 server |
| the backed-up files will stay intact. Logically, the | | | | configuration. Check your backups daily. |
| remote site must be physically located away | | | | 4. Are data backups being stored offsite in the |
| from the primary site. Should the need arise, the | | | | event of a catastrophic event? If not, then |
| backup files can be transferred over to a server | | | | consider the risks involved of not having access |
| and the business will continue operating. Keeping | | | | to critical files and how long your company could |
| downtime to a minimum is one primary objective | | | | survive without them. |
| of disaster recovery. | | | | 5. Does your business need a hot site, cold site or |
| Exactly what a business needs in terms of | | | | simply online remote backup of mission-critical |
| off-site backup depends on the type and size of | | | | files? The larger a business is, the more likely it is |
| the business. Larger businesses with mission-critical | | | | dependent operating with zero downtime. Explore |
| data systems may have hot or cold sites. | | | | your options and objectively consider what would |
| A hot site provides the highest level of remote | | | | happen to your business if you lost access to all |
| data storage security possible. Not only does the | | | | your data for one, two, three or seven days. |
| remote site serve as a mirrored backup site, it is | | | | Statistically, if you are down for more than one |
| an exact replica of the primary business location. | | | | or two weeks your chance of recovering is slim. |
| A hot site has all the equipment necessary for | | | | Ultimately, plans must be made for disaster |
| continuing business operations without missing a | | | | avoidance and recovery at every business. Should |
| beat should the primary business location go | | | | the need arise, and a comprehensive disaster plan |
| down. | | | | has been fully implemented, usually it's no problem |
| A cold site usually involves leasing remote office | | | | responding to data-loss and accelerating the |
| space to move into in the event of a catastrophic | | | | recovery process. |
| event. The business will need to install equipment, | | | | With simple planning and implementation of the |
| hardware and software to resurrect operations. A | | | | plan, all the gloom and doom can be avoided. |