HolTech Services - Disaster Recovery

Putting the Personal in Personal Computing

Disaster Recovery

"Disaster Recovery" (or DR, as it is commonly known, which does not stand for "Data Recovery", as is often thought) is all about Business Continuity, by ensuring that Business systems and processes can be restored in an effective and timely manner. Hence this applies to all Business "systems", not just Computer Systems. However, in our situation we are specifically focusing on computer systems.

By ensuring that we can recover any lost Data, we are also preventing Data loss. Hence, "Disaster Recovery" implies "Disaster Prevention". This Prevention is achieved by ensuring that, no matter what may befall the Business, the Business can continue and ultimately the Data and computer systems can be restored.

As you may have guessed, this is achieved by Backing-up the computer (PC). However, it is not just a case of Backing-up the PC, but of having multiple copies of those Backups, distributed in different locations, which is crucial to the success of Disaster Recovery.

Redundancy is the term applied to this idea of multiple Backup copies. The usual "Backup cycle" involves 3 Backup "Sets"; the "Grandfather", the "Father" and the "Son", hence, the "Grandfather/Father/Son" Backup cycle. These 3 separate "sets" of Backups are; Set 1, Set 2 and Set 3, where Set 1 was Backed-up to first, then Set 2 was Backed-up and then Set 3. In this scenario, Set 1 is the "Grandfather", Set 2 is the "Father" and Set 3 is the "Son". These are so named because Set 1 is the oldest and Set 3 is the youngest. This means that even if the latest Backup (Set 3) is unreadable, we still have 2 Sets of Backups in this "Backup Cycle".

There are many different methods used to preserve the continuity of data via Backups. The most obvious is to store a backup copy "Off-Site"; i.e. away from the Business location. The simplest method is to take a Backup copy home periodically, preferably on a regular basis. If the Business is run from Home, then it might involve storing a Backup copy at a relatives' house, or a trusted friend's place. At this stage the concept of "redundancy" pops up; it's a very good idea to have a Backup copy at home and a Backup copy at a relatives' house, or a trusted friend's place. This is especially true if the home is located in the same area as the Business. For example, in bushfire-prone areas, a copy at least 20km away from the Business is a good idea. Bushfires can cover a large geographical area and it is particularly important to have a Backup copy located out of this area.

Another method is to store the Backup copy in a Bank vault. This doesn't have to be done every week necessarily, maybe once a month would be enough, it's just important to place the Backup copy in a safe location.

Some people with a "Fire-Proof" Safe may feel that there data is secure, however there is no such thing as a "Fire-Proof" Safe, merely a Fire-Resistant Safe. Also, a Fire-Resistant Data Safe will provide more protection to your Data than merely a Fire-Resistant Safe, intended only for documents.

According to Chubb "Computer media needs a far better protection than information stored on paper" and I would have to agree with this assessment.

(Please also Refer to the "Backups" Web page)

(Please also Refer to the "Data Recovery" Web page)

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