| With increasing dependence on systems | | | | recovery servers, availability of technology to |
| availability, the recovery of your core servers, | | | | propagate your standard operating environment |
| applications and network are fundamental in the | | | | onto their workstations, and access to sufficient |
| event of a disaster. In fact, as organisations rely | | | | experienced engineers to help get you up and |
| more and more on ‘anytime, | | | | running again. |
| anywhere’ connectivity, ‘systems | | | | Affordable Disaster Recovery |
| availability’ has become synonymous with | | | | The strategy you choose to protect your |
| ‘disaster recovery’. | | | | business in the event of disaster will inevitably |
| According to industry analyst Gartner, “two | | | | reflect a balance between risk and cost. Many |
| out of five enterprises that experience a disaster | | | | mid-sized businesses cannot justify the cost of |
| go out of business within five years. Business | | | | real-time application replication, when these |
| continuity plans and disaster recovery services | | | | applications can be recovered using a |
| ensure continuity and viability.” (Disaster | | | | multi-subscriber solution within their desired |
| Recovery Plans and Systems are Essential, | | | | disaster recovery window. Other organisations, |
| September 2001) | | | | however, require instantaneous recovery of |
| This article discusses your considerations when | | | | applications to meet their disaster recovery |
| selecting a service provider to deliver disaster | | | | strategies. |
| recovery services – a partner on whom | | | | Your ideal disaster recovery service provider will |
| the very survival of your business may depend. | | | | offer a full range of solutions – customised |
| Disaster Recovery Focus and Expertise | | | | to your specific requirements – from the |
| When reviewing your options for disaster | | | | premium option of housing live systems mirrored |
| recovery services, the pedigree of potential | | | | in real-time, to economical access to |
| providers is vital. Here are some key questions to | | | | multi-subscriber equipment. If some of your |
| ask: | | | | applications are more critical than others, perhaps |
| - What is their core business? If it is the sale of | | | | a combination of both solutions will satisfy both |
| hardware or software, or the supply of Internet | | | | your risk and cost objectives. |
| or telecommunications services, systems | | | | The fee structure your disaster recovery service |
| availability will be a secondary consideration | | | | provider offers is also a factor: |
| – an ‘add-on’ to other | | | | - Do they require upfront payment for the entire |
| services or products. | | | | contract period? |
| - How many specialist engineers will be available to | | | | - Will you be faced with additional cost if you |
| help you during the short window you require to | | | | declare a disaster, or do they include a period of |
| get your systems up and running again? | | | | free use of their facilities? |
| - In helping you develop an appropriate disaster | | | | - And are the days you require for regular testing |
| recovery plan, will they be more concerned with | | | | of your disaster recovery plan included in your |
| selling you additional servers or communications | | | | monthly subscription? |
| links, rather than formulating a cost-effective, | | | | Disaster Recovery Facilities |
| multi-subscriber solution that complies with your | | | | Important considerations when choosing a service |
| corporate risk strategy? | | | | provider are the facilities for your staff within the |
| Your best choice is an organisation focussed on | | | | disaster recovery centre. |
| systems availability, dedicated to the up-time of | | | | - If the worst happens, and you lose access to |
| your key business systems, and with the technical | | | | key premises for an extended period, can your |
| expertise, facilities, economies of scale and | | | | disaster recovery service provider cope? |
| procedures to deliver timely disaster recovery in | | | | - If you need to divert your customer contact |
| an emergency. | | | | centre, can the service provider offer necessary |
| Disaster Recovery Response | | | | telephony equipment and switchboard |
| When a disaster occurs, time is of the essence. | | | | functionality? |
| - How long will you have to wait before you | | | | - And will key staff remain committed during the |
| become eligible to make use of your disaster | | | | duration of the outage? Factors such as security, |
| recovery service provider’s facilities? | | | | parking, kitchen facilities and access to public |
| - Then, once they accept a ‘declared | | | | transport and amenities all come into the equation. |
| disaster’, how long will it take to have your | | | | When choosing between a vendor and an |
| systems functional? | | | | independent disaster recovery service provider, |
| - And can they provide examples of disaster | | | | questions you should ask include: |
| declarations and how quickly they responded to | | | | - Can they support multiple platforms? If your |
| bring the affected business applications back | | | | key applications rely on systems from a range of |
| online? | | | | vendors, can just one of those vendors provide |
| Look for a disaster recovery provider who can | | | | effective disaster recovery services? |
| guarantee to have facilities available to you within | | | | - And are replacement servers proactively |
| a maximum of 12 hours – and with proven | | | | maintained by experts and supported by spare |
| methodologies and the resources available to | | | | parts holdings in the same capital city – or |
| assist you in the rapid restoration of your | | | | do they represent a storage facility for redundant |
| business operations. These include the speed with | | | | equipment offering ‘best effort’ |
| which they can restore your data onto disaster | | | | recovery? |