Server-side Disaster Recovery

Server-side disaster recovery (DR) is the process of restoring IT infrastructure and data after a disruption or disaster, ensuring minimal data loss and downtime.



1. Purpose Server-side DR's aim is to restore IT infrastructure and data to a functional state with minimal data loss and downtime, following a disaster or disruption.

2. Types of Disasters

Hardware Failures: Server or storage device malfunctions.
Software Issues: Bugs, glitches, or cyber attacks causing system crashes.
Natural Disasters: Floods, fires, earthquakes, or other natural events.
Human Errors: Accidental deletions, misconfigurations, or power outages.

3. Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO)

RTO is the duration of time within which a business process must be restored, after a disruption, to avoid unacceptable consequences.
RPO is the point in time to which a business process must be restored after a disruption.

4. Server-side DR Strategies

Regular Backups: Periodic data backups to an offsite location or cloud storage.
Replication: Maintaining real-time or near real-time copies of data and applications on a secondary server.
Virtualization: Using virtual machines to quickly spin up new servers in case of failure.
Multi-cloud/Multi-data center Deployment: Distributing workloads across multiple clouds or data centers to avoid single-point failures.

5. DR Planning and Testing

Planning: Developing a comprehensive DR plan, including roles, responsibilities, and procedures.
Testing: Regularly testing the DR plan to ensure its effectiveness and identify any weaknesses.

6. Monitoring and Maintenance

Monitoring: Continuously monitoring IT infrastructure for potential issues and addressing them proactively.
Maintenance: Regularly updating and patching systems to minimize vulnerabilities.

7. Service Level Agreement (SLA)

An SLA should clearly define the host's DR capabilities, RTO, RPO, and other relevant metrics.

8. Third-party Services

Engaging third-party DR services or managed service providers to assist with DR planning, implementation, and management.

9. Compliance and Regulations

Ensuring DR strategies comply with relevant industry standards and regulations, such as HIPPA, PCI-DSS, or GDPR.

10. Education and Training - Educating staff on DR procedures and conducting regular training to ensure everyone knows their role in the event of a disaster.

11. Review and Improvement - Periodically reviewing and updating DR plans to account for changes in infrastructure, workloads, or business requirements.

It's essential to understand the importance of DR planning and compliance with industry standards.
Neglecting DR planning could lead to significant consequences for your clients, including data loss and extended downtime. Ensuring compliance with industry standards, such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or GDPR, is critical for maintaining client trust and avoiding costly fines and lawsuits.