Here is my 'two pennorth' on disaster recovery.
1) always have (at least) TWO copies of any vital data.
As you quite rightly state, nightly backups must be made
2) Try to keep backups off-site. It probably isn't feasible
to keep nightly backups off-site, so I would suggest a fire-proof safe
for nightly backups.
All serious DP shops use fireproof safes - it'll also help to keep those
confidential records safe.
(Having said that, I realise I'm not following my own advice. Oops)
Weekly backups could be taken home and kept under your bed.
3) Install an uninterruptable power supply on your server and PCs.
This serves to keep things up in a power cut, and also smooths out mains spikes.
Some UPses can automatically shut down Unix (and maybe NT?) systems in
the event of a power cut, thus ensuring safe shutdown.
UPSes are quite cheap.
4) Disaster recovery for banks and other big companies in the City of London
etc. usually involves having a 'shadow' site somewhere else,
with a set of similar equipment 'ready to go'.
the Guardian carried an article after the Docklands bomb on a cable TV company
who were in operation 24 hours later at a subsidiary site in the country.
However, this only makes sense for institutions who
a) can afford it!
b) whose 'lifeblood' is information
c) who can operate from almost any geographic location
A real disaster recovery site for a GP surgery would be very expensive,
and anyway, ask yourself - what use is a bunch of functioning computers
if your surgery has burned down anyway? No use sitting in a warehouse on
an industrial estate.
To sum up:
1) Make those backups. Data loss WILL happen
2) Buy a small fireproof safe. Computer supplies catalogues like Inmac no doubt
carry them. Or use the Yellow Pages.
John Hearns
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