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Re-evaluating disaster-recovery plans

By Ron Nutter
Network World Fusion, 09/17/01

With the recent tragedy at the World Trade Center, my company is re-evaluating our disaster recovery plans. We had looked at having some type of hot site to fall back on but didn't think it could be justified at the time. Management has request we look at revising our disaster-recovery plans to include this option. Suggestions as to what we should look at?
-- via the Internet

Having a hot site is something that has saved at least one company that had offices in the World Trade Center. In the space I have here, I will be able to give you a few ideas of what to look for but may not be able to cover all the options.

Having a hot site can be handled in several different ways. A hot site can be a simple having extra equipment at an office other than your main location that can be pressed into service. There are more advanced offerings that range from having a shared room that you get access to on a first come, first served basis to a room that is dedicated solely to your company.

Using an existing office as a hot site can be a very economical way to have a hot site without some of the invesments required for a more full blown hot site. You will need to make sure that the level of connectivity to the Internet matches the site you are trying to replace. You will need to have the same type of tape backup drive, backup software, etc at the site that will be standing in for the site that is down. You will also need to do some additional planning in terms of having your other locations know that this "hot site" exists, etc.

The permanent hot site alternatives will be a little pricier but may have a little more flexibility. The disadvantage of the first-come, first-serve solution is that if more than one company has a crisis at the same time, you may not have a facility to go to. The dedicated facility will be more expensive but it will be yours to use when needed.

Regardless of what hot site solution you go with, you will need to test it on a periodic basis to make sure that you can bring it online quickly and can minimize the problems encountered while bringing the site online (some hot site companies will include one test a year of the hot site facilities in charges to use their facilities). Also, having the same equipment at the hot site will make bringing the site operational a lot easier and almost essential to the success of a hot site ready when you need it.