Automating Business Continuity Processes for an Architect
Background and Requirement
The client, a renowned international landscape architectural practice, had a backup procedure which relied on a large number of tapes. Not only did this tape based solution consume a significant amount of human resource, it also required constant intervention for machine and tape maintenance. In addition, the company recognised that they had no formal business continuity plans and so were very exposed to any major IT outage.
The failure of the tape backup unit was the trigger to re-evaluate their backup options. However, this was also reinforced by their lack of a formal continuity plan. This was likely to impact on their winning any new business as, increasingly, clients were looking to work with suppliers who had formal continuity procedures in place.
Solution
Having examined other online backup services, the client chose Sky Teledata to install a BizCon5051 unit at the client offices. Data from their two Windows servers was backed up to the BizCon unit and within two days from the start of the installation, this unit could be used as the primary business continuity resource for the practice.
An initial off-site base image and data load, to the secure vault, was carried out. Thereafter, daily data is sent via the internet in a secure format (AES encryption is used) to a secure data vault. For resilience reasons, this vault is also replicated to a second backup site. Resilience is enhanced even further through synching the data on the BizCon unit to two USB drives which are held off site on a rotating basis.
The client, using the features of the BizCon5051 service as an integral part of their business continuity plans, are able to:
- Use the data from the BizCon unit to build a replacement server(s) from scratch on dissimilar hardware.
- Restore a single file or email message from the primary BizCon unit.
- In the event of a catastrophic server failure, use the BizCon unit as a replacement for the failed server, until such time as the problem is resolved.
None of the above was possible using their previous tape based system. The old system was only capable of saving data, but did little to help with keeping the client network running. The BizCon service keeps “downtime” to a minimum and maximises “uptime”..
Additionally, the continuity processes are monitored 24/7 by the Network Operations Centre (NOC) to ensure Sky Teledata are able to respond within 15 minutes of any issues that occur.
Once the client had decided on a business continuity solution based on BizCon5051, Sky Teledata were able to implement the solution with minimal involvement from the client and, more importantly, with minimum disruption to the operational running of the client’s business
Conclusion
The client needed a supplier who they could work with and trust. Sky Teledata met this criterion.
The procedures are now almost entirely automatic, minimising the use of key staff resources in this area.
Within a couple of days of the unit being delivered, the new business continuity processes were up and working with minimal disruption to the day-to-day activities of the client.
The 24/7 monitoring of the service has already been of considerable value to the client. For example, when the site’s broadband connection was lost overnight, within 15 minutes of the problem arising, the NOC alerted Sky Teledata who, in turn, were able to take remedial action to reinstate the broadband working again.