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Storage and Disaster Recovery FAQ (Continued)

Q. Where should backups be stored?
A. Keeping complete backups at multiple sites will be sufficient for most companies, but you'll need to make sure that they are safe from both theft and hacking. Some companies prefer to keep their backups with outsourced data protection companies like Iron Mountain.

Q. How often should backup media be replaced?
A. Some who use tape and rewritable optical discs replace them after about two dozen backups, even if manufacturers say they will last much longer.

Q. What's wrong with using tape backup for disaster recovery? It's cheaper than remote replication and mirroring.
A. There's nothing inherently wrong with using tape backup, particularly if you're a small- or medium-sized business with a limited budget. However, with the availability of affordable Storage Over IP solutions, you can leverage the benefits of data replication over longer distances for a more sound disaster recovery strategy.

Q. How can my company decide what data needs to be backed-up?
A. Perform a cross-departmental analysis to find out how your company is really using data. Then you can make sure you have appropriate backup methods and possibly save money on new and existing storage options that might be unnecessary.

Q. What is a "hot backup"?
A. "Hot backup" servers are on-site and constantly replicate the work being done by the main servers. While not an enterprise-wide solution, it makes good sense to keep hot backup servers if you have a critical server or server farm. However, hot backups are an expensive solution.

Disaster Recovery
Q. What is the first item an auditor will require of your business in an audit?
A. Documentation detailing the processes and methodologies used for disaster recovery or business continuance. Developing such documentation is the de facto standard for any business continuity or DR strategy.

Q. What are the key elements of a DR plan?
A. A DR plan should be documented with key staff and contact information, locations of backups, recovery procedures, communications procedures, and a testing schedule. Additional elements may be necessary depending on company size.

Q. How often should DR plans be tested?
A. Quarterly tests are recommended, although experts such as Jon Toigo recommend testing as often as possible, whether by doing a paper walkthrough or an actual implementation of procedures.



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