Chapter 13 Disaster Recovery

This chapter discusses methods and planning for disaster recovery. The sections in this chapter are:

In this age of highly computerized business, some of your business information may be available only through your computer systems. Very often the information we rely on is only available through our computers. Regularly backing up the information stored on your computer system protects that information from a system failure. Your backups and your computer system, however, are not indestructible and can be damaged or destroyed by smoke, noxious fumes, explosion, flood, earthquake, sabotage, and many other natural and man-made problems. Without access to your computer system, you may lose track of sales, production, existing customers, and accounting information.

This chapter discusses strategies for protecting computer operations from a variety of disasters. Planning for a disaster and identifying the best means for recovering with a minimum of delay is the key to disaster recovery. Costs of disaster recovery systems vary greatly depending upon the alternative you select and the features you require. However, if a properly designed disaster recovery system saves your business, you will want it at any cost.