With proper preparation, cloud-based disaster recovery will enable your organization to weather the season of storms and power outages.

The season of power outages has arrived. We can expect coastal tropical storms and hurricanes and Midwest twisters and tornadoes to bring us a season of outages and, unfortunately, lots of loss. Government agencies, if not properly prepared, will see applications and data centers swept away with the same speed and suddenness of the wild weather winds -- even with so much advanced technology and outstanding preemptive tools and systems available.

It was only two years ago when Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast, knocking out data centers from Virginia to New York to New Jersey. They lost public power and went dark for days, causing vulnerability and leaving lots of important information unavailable.

For government agencies that use their own internal data centers to house applications, public multi-tenant clouds offer a lower-cost, easy-to-deploy disaster recovery/continuation of operations (DR/COOP) solution. The steps below can help data centers plan and execute effectively with minimal to no disruption in the production environment.

1. Know your mission-critical applications. Determine which of your Web-based applications cannot go down for even a short (or extended) period of time. Identify these applications along with their dependencies and minimal hardware requirements to operate. Document your findings as these will become part of your DR/COOP plan and will help you when you move on to step two.

2. Choose a compliant cloud service provider or give a checklist to the one you have. Identify the right cloud service provider (CSP) that can support your business and technical requirements. If possible, choose a CSP that uses the same hypervisor that you use in-house. This will make mirroring a lot easier, faster, and cheaper in the long run.

3. Configure remote mirrored virtual machines. Depending on the hypervisor you currently are using for virtualization, either set up the data center to automatically mirror these virtual machines (VMs), or arrange to manually set up the remote VMs. Either way, make sure there is a mirrored VM for each production system that needs emergency backup.

4. Set up the failover to be more than just DNS. With the mirrored VMs tested and in place, it's time to select a technology that will handle the failover if and when a disaster occurs. When selecting this technology, avoid one that depends on a change to Internet domain name system records. While a DNS change will work, in most cases there will be a downtime of many hours or possibly even more than a day before users can reach the DR/COOP site. Therefore, seek a technology that can detect a failure in your primary data center and redirect end users instantly to the DR/COOP solution.

5. Perform regular failover tests. With the above steps complete, the final step is performing the end-to-end failover test, which must be routinely tested with the DR/COOP site. Depending on internal policies, this test may be as small as one application's individual failover, or you may wish to schedule a full site failover. Whichever is done, it is important to document the process, the steps taken when performing the test, and a clear record of results after each test is done. If your failover plan did not work, refer back to your documentation, identify what did not work as expected, make the adjustments to your plan (and documentation), and test again. You may need to do this multiple times until you have a bulletproof failover plan.

While we can't control Mother Nature, we can control our preemptive strikes against data disasters. A single emergency can take down a data center, but it only takes a simple plan and proper preparation to prevent disaster. Whether you bring the expertise in-house or outsource it, make the time and budget available to properly plan so you are not out of luck during the outages.

Most IT teams have their conventional databases covered in terms of security and business continuity. But as we enter the era of big data, Hadoop, and NoSQL, protection schemes need to evolve. In fact, big data could drive the next big security strategy shift. Get the 6 Tools To Protect Big Data report today (registration required).

Finding a good Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) solution is not as easy as it seems. With so many options and providers out there - it's easy to get lost in the hussle and bustle. And though many solutions are re-branded versions of the same product, they each offer unique advantages that may seem appealing. Below are 3 common BDR misconceptions.

A new disaster recovery solution will replace my current backup solution
Many business owners and managers hear backup and believe they already have a system in place, but that's usually not the case. They typically forget about the disaster recovery and business continuity aspect. In addition many customers believe a new BDR solution will simply replace their existing backup solution. The truth is, a BDR solution offers more, much more.

To properly protect a company's data, a full BDR offering includes not only backup, but disaster recovery and some form of business continuity, too. Because every company's needs vary - this cannot be done via a template. Picking the right IT solutions provider is a critical step to building a disaster recovery and business continuity plan.

Cloud-only solution
Many confuse a Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) solution to be a cloud-based backup solution. Because of the hype of the cloud, many simply fail to understand the importance of local backup and disaster recovery. One thing many don't realize, is that the cloud backup is only as good as the line sending the data - and speed is not the only critical factor.

Restoring an entire server from the cloud is not as quick as snapping your fingers. We are dealing with the natural inheritance of data transfer here. Potentially hundreds or thousands of gigabytes need to be downloaded back to a new server in order to restore from a cloud-based backup. Having a BDR solution will easily provide a much faster recovery time for this very reason, in addition to being able to act as the server(s) in the event there is a failure. This now saves time waiting on a new server/hardware replacement to arrive to only begin the restoration process.

I can be up in hours, not days
Many claim their existing backup solution will have them up and running quickly, within an hour or two. Most likely that is because of what has been advertised. And perhaps that can be achieved, assuming that you fit into the best case scenario. Many have not thought through the many scenarios and problems that could turn the assumption of a one or two hour restore into a day, a week, or even longer.

The truth is grim

If you Google "BDR restore success rate" you will be surprised not to find much, if any, information. That is largely because no one will advertise the failures, only the best case scenarios. Often backup restorations fail and QWERTY Concepts became a victim of this when providing a solution to clients that was over-promised. In the end, the clients were not happy because their expectations were not met, the employees were not happy because they had to work extra hours and deliver the bad news, and the management was not happy because clients and employees were leaving.

Because of this company's core values and integrity, they've changed focus to deliver on Clients' expectations and they found that challenging the industry status quo was necessary. After years of research, development, testing, and improvements the QWERTY BDR solution comes with something no one else can give, a promise. QWERTY Concepts offers a guarantee to restore your environment - locally or in the cloud - and if the restoration fails, they will dispatch all available resources and even install the required temporary hardware to ensure up-time and continuity.

All businesses need to have an effective business continuity plan in case of some problem with their regular operations. This problem can be anything from a natural disaster to power failure or an accident which may lead to collapse of day to day routine affairs. In the present times, when so much of our work is dependent on IT infrastructure, we should plan for the situations in case this infrastructure breaks down or comes under undue stress.

This is exactly the kind of situations for which a business continuity Plan is required. This plan is prepared after an overall review of your entire operations by an expert agency. The experienced personnel who are generally the senior system engineers will evaluate the importance of various operations and data processes and then prepare an alternative strategy to be adopted in case of their failure. Such a plan is very important for the quick revival and continuity of operations which may otherwise take a lot of time to recover and come back to normal.

Apart from being an operational necessity and a good working practice, a business continuity plan may be also be required for statutory purposes. More and more insurance companies and contractors are demanding that the businesses should have an effective business continuity plan in place which takes over in case of any kind of breakdown and hence the continuation of services is maintained. There are many ways to go about preparing this plan.

However the best way would be to hire a professionally Managed IT Services NJ company who has experience and expertise to handle such projects. Select a few of such listed companies and you can then ask them to give you a quote of the estimated cost of setting up and managing such a plan. Do look at the experience of the shortlisted companies and if it is possible, you may also review some of their completed assignments to see the level of coverage that they are providing.

Once you have decided on the company to work out your effective business continuity plan for your organization, you may then focus on the various parameters that are to be included in this plan. This will depend entirely on the nature of your operations. If your company provides web based services such as website designing and management or organic search engine optimization services, then your continuity plan will need to be quite comprehensive.

The reason here is that any discontinuity is not going to affect only your operations but also those of your clients who have relied on your services. Thus a holistic review of your entire activities would be very crucial in determining the level of support that you would be requiring. One must follow the safest approach which is both effective and economical as the cost implication of the whole operation is also to be considered. Thus a company should prepare a business continuity plan which covers all their critical areas and is still within their budget.

Not all backup and recovery solutions are created equal. Without argument the most critical aspect of any successful business is the safety of their data and operational continuity under all circumstances. Data loss has been a reality of life and no amount of safety and security features could completely eliminate this possibility.

The reasons for this data loss might be anything from accidental deletion of files to system crash or maybe a power failure or a fire at the workplace, an act of nature or an actual accident. In any case, this threat has always been a great hindrance to business operations and there had been no credible tools to make complete recovery which at the best used to be partial and would result in heavy losses and other associated problems.

But these are now things of the past as new age technology and cloud computing has given us a fail-proof Backup and Recovery Solution which is safe, secure, and automatic - but most importantly is expected to work in all possible conditions. Always make sure your cloud data is stored in a certified, preferably SSAE16 Type II data centers and is available at all times without any breaks or interruptions.

The way this backup and recovery system works is simply amazing. With this backup and recovery solution in place, there is no need for numerous system back-ups and file duplications to alternative locations - saving you money. Once you invest in a reliable backup and recovery solution, your company is designated a space on the cloud which is a digitally safe and secure data center located at a remote location and where all your files, databases, emails, drawings and pictures or any other digital media are automatically transferred.

This is an excellent way to back-up all your files on individual machines and office servers as the whole process is online and no manual intervention is required. Moreover you have the flexibility to access these files from any location around the world through a mobile device or where you have access to a computer and an internet connection. With the digital data increasing at a huge rate each year, it makes sense to invest in cloud computing where you can choose a pay-as-you-go model and thus save on huge equipment investment as well as on the maintenance cost for the same.

Any organizations first and foremost priority is to ensure safety of their customer details and maintain continuity of their services at any cost. Although we all take adequate measures to protect ourselves and would like to believe that no harm would come to us but at the same time we also take insurance to protect against any unforeseen circumstances or accidents which might occur.

If we apply this principle to all aspects of our life, we shall also apply it for the purpose of data safety and business continuity so that our precious database and information is always effectively backed-up and recovered for us without any delays. This is not only critical from the point of productivity and maintenance of service to clients without any interruption but it is also crucial for the very survival of your organization as any delay in restoration of service or loss of data can result in terminal losses and other legal liabilities.

A well-planned life is far better than disorganized life. Today is a world of advanced techniques and information technology. Information technology has been dominating and ruling since many years. However, there is no particular time and place of a natural calamity. Nobody can predict about catastrophe and they occur without any prior information. Being a businessman, it is our responsibility to survive as long as possible. We have to focus on how to achieve our business targets. Apart from many competitors, we are surrounded by menaces such as natural misfortunes, power failures and building fires due to which we might lose productivity. Every individual wants to rise in his business. It is absolutely a true statement that if you are a businessman, sky is the limit.

An individual has multiple options like internet and phone to expand his business. Nobody can deny that nothing would be better for a person if he has a business continuity plan as it is crucial to success of business. By having a well-organized business continuity plan, it will be possible for you to overcome massive and unexpected hurdles. It is highly distressing that if human beings do not follow any business plan, they experience data loss which will never be recovered. If you are extremely worried about how to preserve in current era, business plan can be ideal solution to your problems. Every entity can easily regain access to data if one opts for a trustworthy business plan. It would be simply amazing if our needs will be assessed by senior engineers who will be readily available to provide valuable suggestions on timely basis.

Loss, downfalls or power outrages are the biggest obstacles in making a business flourishing. No matter what the circumstances are, one can get rid of all perilous situations with utilization of a business plan. As a businessman, a person is aware of this fact that even a minor mistake can have dire consequences so everyone have to be careful throughout 24/7/365. It would be a foolish act to take any risk as far as business is concerned. A plan can certainly bring positive outcomes in your business. It would be like a dream come true if your business will have appropriate infrastructure. Efficient IT services are highly beneficial for growth of business. Anyone can tackle business issues with NJ Managed IT Services.

In order to play safe - in business - and get optimum results, effective IT support is the primary requirement. It is obvious that business needs data security, network support, storage system and structure cabling. Whether a person has large or small business, systematic approach or a plan can help him to conduct it. There are so many IT consulting firms which assure that these can enhance your business, however, without any background details, reliability and relevant proof, nobody should trust any firm. One must put his unsurpassed efforts in business to grab attention of potential customers. In simple words, business continuity plan plays a vital role in making your business secure.