Data Center Disaster Recovery

Data center disaster recovery (DR) refers to the strategies, processes, and technologies used to ensure the availability and continuity of data center operations in the event of a disaster. It encompasses the plans and procedures necessary to recover data, restore critical systems, and maintain business operations following unexpected disruptions such as power failures, natural disasters, cyberattacks, or hardware malfunctions.

Key Components of a Data Center Disaster Recovery Plan

• Backup systems. Regularly scheduled backups of data and configurations stored off-site or in the cloud to ensure that information can be restored after a failure.
• Redundant infrastructure. The use of redundant power, network connections, and cooling systems to prevent downtime and ensure availability in case of equipment or service failures.
• Failover systems. Automatically redirecting traffic and workloads to secondary data centers or backup systems in the event of a disaster, minimizing downtime.
• Geographically dispersed data centers. Maintaining secondary data centers or cloud-based resources in separate locations to mitigate the risk of natural disasters or local outages affecting operations.
• Testing and validation. Regularly testing and updating disaster recovery procedures to ensure they are effective and up to date, with clear recovery objectives such as Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO).
• Incident response plans. Well-defined protocols for identifying, assessing, and responding to incidents, ensuring quick recovery of critical systems.

By having a comprehensive data center disaster recovery plan, organizations can minimize operational downtime, protect valuable data, and maintain business continuity even during catastrophic events.

Tips for Effective Data Center Disaster Recovery

For a sound data center disaster recovery plan, consider the following:

• Prioritize critical systems. Identify the most critical applications and services and ensure they are included in your DR plan. Allocate more resources to these high-priority systems to ensure they can be restored first during a disaster.
• Automate recovery procedures. Automating recovery processes, such as data replication and system restore, reduces the risk of human error and speeds up recovery times. Automation also ensures consistency in disaster recovery efforts.
• Use multiple backup locations. Relying on a single backup location can expose your business to risks if that site is compromised. Implement geographically dispersed backup locations—both on-site and off-site—to improve redundancy.
• Review and update regularly. Disaster recovery plans should not be static documents. Regularly review and update your DR plan to account for new technology, business changes, and emerging threats. Schedule routine drills to test the plan's effectiveness.
• Keep documentation up-to-date. Ensure that all disaster recovery documentation, including contact lists, system configurations, and recovery procedures, is kept current. Outdated information can delay recovery efforts and increase the risk of errors.
• Monitor and evaluate disaster recovery performance. Continuously monitor the performance of your disaster recovery efforts, including recovery time and data loss metrics (RTO and RPO). Use this data to refine and improve your DR strategy.
• Implement robust monitoring. Implement comprehensive power and environmental monitoring tools to track the health of your infrastructure. Early detection of issues through continuous monitoring helps prevent potential disasters from escalating and enables a faster response during recovery.

Be Proactive and Quick to Respond with DCIM Software and Other Tools

It is beneficial for data center professionals to leverage DCIM (Data Center Infrastructure Management) software, switched intelligent rack PDUs, and KVM-over-IP switches to enhance preparedness and response capabilities. These tools provide:

• Centralized remote power control. DCIM solutions offer centralized control over intelligent power distribution units (PDUs) with remote power control, allowing administrators to power on/off individual outlets remotely. In case of emergencies, DCIM enables quick and safe shutdown or reboot of specific equipment, preventing damage and data loss.
• Remote access. To reboot and enter devices into safe mode, it is important to have embedded KVM-over-IP (e.g., Dell DRAC or HP iLO) or external KVM-over-IP switches, as well as management tools like Dell OpenManage and HP Insight Manager.
• Quick asset identification. DCIM tools provide real-time visibility into all technology assets across all sites. This helps in quickly identifying and addressing any issues related to specific assets, enabling faster troubleshooting and recovery during disasters.
• Streamlined change management. DCIM systems streamline change management processes by automating workflows and approval processes, ensuring changes are documented, reviewed, and implemented correctly. Before implementing changes, DCIM tools can simulate potential impacts on the data center, helping to prevent disruptions and mitigate risks.
• Thresholds and alerts. DCIM continuously monitors power and environmental conditions at a granular level. By setting thresholds for various parameters, DCIM tools can trigger alerts for potential issues, allowing for proactive measures before a disaster escalates.
• Failover reports. DCIM software lets you simulate a power failure to determine which cabinets are outside your redundancy requirements.
• Health map. Red/yellow/green color-coding helps you understand rack load levels, line currents, and environmental conditions to quickly visualize issues and aid in their correction.

Want to see how Sunbird’s world-leading DCIM software can help you prepare for a data center disaster? Get your free test drive now.