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The best way to prepare for an unpredictable disaster is to
have a recovery facility available. A recovery facility contains a backup
system onto which you can reload your files from backups. You can use the
backup system for all of your information processing needs until your system is
repaired or replaced. There are several types of recovery facilities. You
should select the type that best meets the needs of your data center. Private Recovery Facilities: Cold Sites and Hot Sites | |
A private recovery facility is owned and maintained by your company. It is
usually located at a facility close to, but separate from, your data center.
There are two types of private backup sites, cold sites and hot sites. A cold site is a facility with sufficient electrical power, air conditioning,
and telecommunications equipment to support a computer system, but it does not
contain an actual computer system. If a disaster occurs, you must obtain the
computer and the necessary peripherals to support your information processing
requirements. The cold backup site offers guaranteed access at a relatively
low cost, but requires considerable time to obtain, install, and test a new
computer system. A hot site is a cold site with an operational computer system similar, if not
identical, to the one you intend to protect. If a disaster occurs, you can
reload your information from the backup system at the hot site. This
alternative is the quickest, but most costly, method for recovering from a
disaster. Because of the cost of maintaining a complete backup system,
companies with hot sites sometimes begin using the backup system for regular
information processing. Mutual Backup Arrangements | |
Another recovery site option is a mutual backup arrangement. A mutual
backup arrangement is an agreement between two companies with similar
computer systems to provide the use of their Data Centers to one another
should a disaster occur. Usually the two businesses are located close
to one another. Some companies seek partners in different industries to
eliminate competition or protect confidentiality. A mutual backup
arrangement can provide both a quick and cost-effective recovery
facility, but may not work well if either party is unwilling to disrupt
its information processing to accommodate the other party. Contractual
and legal problems sometimes arise in this type of agreement. Hewlett-Packard Disaster Recovery Services | |
Hewlett-Packard offers a full range of disaster recovery services. Contact your local Hewlett-Packard representative for more information. Commercial Backup Companies | |
Commercial backup companies offer hot and cold backup sites identical to
private hot and cold sites except that the site is owned and operated by
a company in the disaster recovery business. A commercial backup site
is less costly than a private backup site, but has the disadvantage that
the clients of the backup company could potentially compete for backup
resources at the same time. For example, in the event of a widespread
natural disaster such as an earthquake or a flood, many businesses may
need the backup facility at the same time. Computer Service Bureaus | |
Some companies use a Computer Service Bureau in the event of a disaster.
Although such an arrangement is generally available, it is often costly,
restricts computer use, causes capacity and compatibility problems, and
ignores special computer requirements. |
