ADSM-L

Re: DR exercise

2005-04-04 20:59:16
Subject: Re: DR exercise
From: Tab Trepagnier <Tab.Trepagnier AT LAITRAM DOT COM>
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2005 19:58:41 -0500
Dave,

Just a few hints.

First, the Redbook that Mark cited is excellent.  It's big, but don't let
its size scare you.  It is very well organized and you can read and digest
it by section. Lots of good terminology for when you call upon a DR
professional.

Second, in the industry, "Disaster Recovery" is generally regarded as
different from "Business Continuity".  DR is mostly computer/data based;
while BC is the total business recovery and will require input from all
stakeholders.  We are a manufacturer.  A fire in our data center requires
we execute on DR; a major hit by a hurricane means we can't make product
so we would have to execute on BC.  In general, if you are focusing on
"DR", you just want to avoid putting together a plan that gets in the way
of "BC" should a larger disaster occur.

Now, for "DR", what we've done is this.  Imagine that your data center is
"gone."  What would you do?  How would employees connect?

One of the first things that leaped out at us was a recovery site.  Where
would you go to recover?  Once there, how would you connect to the outside
world?  Without Internet access or some other network link, you're
effectively building a "lab."  If you don't already have a network link
there, how long will it take to get one?  Does it have the correct power,
or will you find yourself trying to power a 240 VAC server on 120?  And so
forth...

Once you have a site, you'll probably want to start building your core
network, including DNS, DHCP, any required domain controllers, etc. Again,
how would you do that?  Are you going to re-implement your network from
scratch?  If no, what information and/or files do you need to expedite the
network rebuild, including routers and firewalls?

Basically, just think through the steps of what it would take to get
everything back up and running.  Pencil in the steps and think hard about
any prerequisites.  If your vault vendor is going to deliver 500 tapes to
you, what are you going to do with them?

Identify your most critical applications.  Then try to define their
individual components.  This is a big one now that "distributed
applications" are the rage.  Is there a .Net application server in the
mix?  Is there some middle-tier server?  Is there a web-server component?
How do you recover those?  And how do you plug those components back
together to recover the overall application?

We're currently implementing our first real DR process beyond "send tapes
to the vault".  We've been through the exercises I've described at least
three times now, and are hoping to demonstrate recovery of one of our most
critical apps by the start of this year's hurricane season.  Just stepping
through the scenarios is sobering and enlightening.

And don't get hung up trying to think about recovery of every possible
disaster.  As I said near the beginning, "DR" is for data and computers.
Don't single-handedly try to create a BC process.

Good luck.

Tab Trepagnier
TSM Administrator
Laitram, L.L.C.






"ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU> wrote on 04/04/2005
01:41:55 PM:

> From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU] On
> Behalf Of Dave Zarnoch
> >Can anyone point me to a "well documented" DR exercise?
> >
> >(Lookin for some "gotchas")
>
> You are asking an *extremely* wide-open question, and it is doubtful
> that any given DR procedure will be particularly relevant to your
> situation.
>
> You can do one of several things:
> 1. Hire a DR professional to help you create a documented procedure.
> 2. Create your own DR procedures.
> 3. Ask this forum more specific questions describing your particular
> situations and concerns
>
> A good resources to begin #2 with is
>
> The IBM Redbook _Disaster Recovery Strategies with TSM_
> http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg246844.html?Open
>
> --
> Mark Stapleton (stapleton AT berbee DOT com)
> IBM Certified Advanced Deployment Professional
> Tivoli Storage Management Solutions 2005
> Office 262.521.5627

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