 Table of contents |
| Featured
Tips |
Part 1:
Rebuilding a critical infrastructure
Carrie Higbie has written the first in a series of articles for SearchDataCenter.com on rebuilding
your IT infrastructure after a disaster. Even if you're one of the fortunate and your data center
is still standing, there are lessons to be learned and tales to be told. So read on.
Part 2:
Operating from a remote site
In part two of our series on rebuilding after a disaster, Higbie discusses remote offsite services
and how to bring business operations back on line at an alternative site.
Part 3:
Replacing active components
In part three of our series on rebuilding your IT infrastructure after a disaster, Carrie Higbie
focuses on the active components on a network.
Part 4:
Resuming operations with end users
In part four of our series, Carrie Higbie has guidelines on how to get your users back into the
network.
Part 5:
Making redundancy redundant
In the last of our series on rebuilding your data center after a disaster, Carrie Higbie has tips
on how to make your redundant site redundant—including checklists for hardware, software, circuits,
cabling infrastructure and data.
| Featured
Articles |
Baton
Rouge data center brings Jefferson Parish online
Baton Rouge, La.-based IT firm CMA Technology Solutions was spared the brunt of Hurricane Katrina's
wrath, but the company has worked overtime keeping its Gulf Coast client's IT infrastructures up
and running.
How
to survive a hurricane
During a widespread emergency, such as a hurricane, backup hot sites fill up and there is nowhere
to go. Experienced data center managers ride out the storm by planning backup for backup.
Moving
on from Katrina
When Hurricane Katrina hit, the storm was so powerful, so widespread and ultimately so destructive
that even the most disaster-proof data centers in its path were left with a worst-case scenario
that no one had fully prepared for.
Before
disaster strikes
Driven by the threat of everything from hurricanes to hackers -- not to mention terrorist attacks
and waves of data protection regulations -- more midmarket companies are developing business
continuity plans.
| News &
Advice |
Reduce
risks of disaster recovery testing
Untested business continuity plans can leave organizations in a lurch. But taking down live
environments is risky and complicated. New software could ease the burden and allow companies to
test more often.
Disaster
recovery spending -- How much is enough?
How do you plan on justifying disaster recovery spending? While every organization knows it needs
some level of protection, determining the extent and the appropriate financial investment is an
ongoing challenge. Here are a few tips to assure you're covered.
Expert:
Beware of being lax with data center security
The biggest change in security is an increased focus on designing a data center that is physically
secure -- and firms have opened up their pocketbooks to get the job done.
Outsourcing
the backup data center
Outsourcing companies see a major growth area in midmarket organizations looking to install a
backup data center in a managed facility.
Twenty
timeless fundamentals of facilities management
A data center manager has a lot to consider: Heating, cooling, power, disaster recovery and staff
training, to name a few. Read this tip to make sure you've got everything covered.
Preparing
for the worst: Effective DR in five steps
These five steps will help your organization prepare for recovering from a disaster.
Ten
reasons why your DR plan could be in trouble
You've read all about how to develop and implement a failsafe disaster recovery plan, but this
expert says there's a good chance that no matter how much effort you put into assuring its success,
there may remain a number of no-nos that could put your plan in peril.
Ten
must-ask questions about power and business continuity
Business continuity efforts will end in a fizzle if your power fails. Here are ten ways to make
sure your data center is always plugged in.
Disaster
recovery: Protecting the enterprise from the administrator
Prevent enterprise disaster by delegating administration rights carefully.
Real
life experiences: Lessons learned in disaster recovery planning
Debbie Schwartz shares the lessons she has learned in keeping disaster recovery implementations
up-to-date with new and changing business needs.
| Additonal
Resources |
Disaster
recovery glossary
When the unthinkable happens, there may not be time to look up the terminology that will play a
critical role in sparing your data center from harm. Here is a selection of key terms that you'll
need to be armed with in the event of a crisis.
Fast
Reference: Disaster recovery basics
"Disaster Recovery Basics" quickly reviews what you will need to have covered when disaster
strikes.
This was first published in September 2005