Backup, Redundancy and Fault-Tolerance
Backup
Q. Why
backup?
Q. How good was your last backup?
Disaster Recovery Setup
Q. If your server crashes, how quickly can
you have it up and running again?
Client Unit Redundancy Setup
Q.
The big question is; if one of your workstations fails, how quickly can it
be up and running after correcting the failed component?
Q.
Have you ever
considered how much time goes into setting-up a client unit in a networked
business environment?
Hot Swappable
Power Supplies
Q.
What happens if the power supply of your server computer fails?
Mirrored
Hard Drives
Q.
What happens if your server's hard drive fails?
RAID and Hot
Swappable Hard Drives
Q. How do I avoid any exposure of any
downtime due to hard drive failures?
UPS (Uninterruptible
Power Supply)
UPS for Servers
Q. What happens if there is a power outage
or a brown-out or a severe power spike on your power line?
UPS for
key client units
Q.
Your server may have a UPS, but what happens if there is a power problem and
your server has a UPS but all your key client units now have crashed with
all open files, vulnerable to operating system corruptions, etc?
Backup
Q. Why backup?
A.
Like the life insurance policy we hope we'll never have to use, backup
programs provide a safety net in the event of a catastrophe.
Q. How good was your
last backup?
A.
Your data is only as good as your last backup. Ensuring that your data is
properly written and protected on a tape is important, but the process is
pointless if you can't get data off the tape after a crash. Therefore, the
restoration of data is the most essential feature of any backup solution.
Leader
Computer will setup a properly designed backup system and also test it
thoroughly to make sure it works. Some items of importance are that the backup
program should notify both your business IT Department and also our technical
support/maintenance departments with email and r beeper reports on the status of
backup, whether;
Scheduling to test the restore function periodically is a very important part of
a backup system. When was the last time you put your backup system through a dry
run? We have seen many companies in terror when they found out that all the
tapes they were using were blank! Don't take chances, call LEADER to design a
proper and
professional backup
system.
Disaster Recovery Setup
Q. If
your server crashes, how quickly can you have it up and running again?
A.
Disaster recovery is the hot new feature for backup software products. If your
server crashes, it could take hours to install new hardware, reinstall Windows
Server Operating System, install the backup software, and then restore from a
tape.
Proper
disaster-recovery setup will let you boot the server with a handful of disks and
get your data back quickly. And if you have a CD-RW drive, you can create all
the files you need to restore a failed server without swapping out disks and
CDs.
Another
new feature is the remote-server recovery utility. With this feature, you can
make an image of a remote server even if it doesn't have its own tape device. In
the event of a failure, you can restore the server from the CD which contains
that server's various system, operating-system, and all data.
Client Unit
Redundancy Setup
Q.
The big question is; if one of your workstations fails, how quickly can it
be up and running after correcting the failed component?
A.
If you are setup properly, how does 1/2 hour sound? When we setup your
networking, we will make sure you will be prepared for the unfortunate day
when disaster strikes one of your key client units.
Q.
Have you
ever considered how much time goes into setting-up a client unit in a
networked business environment?
A.
Our experience is between 8 to 12 hours. It usually comprises of installing
and configuring networking, email setup, all applications used by the
organization, configuring access points for programs such as MS Word, Excel
etc. Same for your accounting programs, certain utilities, and diagnostics
and maintenance programs installation and their configurations.
Even
if we set aside the time lost from business, lost productivity for the user
of that client station, who knows how much else may be affected by an
unforeseen hardware failure. And the statistics is; it will happen; it is
jus a matter of time. We have seen brand new units' hard drives crash within
weeks, and sometimes even days.
Hot Swappable
Power Supplies
Q. What happens if
the power supply of your server computer fails?
A.
An immediate stop to all business functions just because of $50-100
(average) component that failed. One of the most overlooked components to
setup for redundancy. We have received calls from some large companies in
the region, frantically looking for a proprietary power supply. When LEADER
sets up a server, we don't want you to be suffering monumental losses, so we
design a server with redundant power supplies. If one fails, the other keep
the business running. If its is hot swappable, we inform the vendor and when
we receive the replacement, we remove the failed one and insert the new one.
Your business doesn't miss a beat.
Mirrored
Hard Drives
Q.
What happens if your server's hard drive fails?
A.
An immediate stop to all business functions just because of $100-300
(average) component that failed. One of the easiest components to setup for
redundancy. When LEADER sets up a server, we don't want you to be suffering
monumental losses, so we design a server with at least a mirrored hard drive
setup. If one fails, the other keeps the business running. We have to
schedule a downtime and replace the drive and recreate the mirroring.
However, if you need the best protection against hard drive failures, please
read the section below; RAID and Hot Swappable Hard Drives.
RAID and Hot
Swappable Hard Drives
Q.
How do I avoid any exposure of any downtime due to hard drive failures?
A.
Setup your server with RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Drives).
This setup will give you the most fault tolerant redundancy of your server.
And if any of the drives fails, the system just keeps on humming. All you
have to do is, remove the drive and replace it with the spare or even better
let the online spare kick in automatically. Technology at it's best. Let us
LEAD the way and we'll make sure your business will be humming despite all
the usual pitfalls that many improperly setup business computer systems
cause for so many businesses.
UPS (Uninterruptible
Power Supply)
Q.
What happens if there is a power outage or a brown-out or a severe power
spike on your power line?
A.
Power problems wreak havoc on today’s multitasking networked or stand-alone
PCs. The more you do with your PC, the more you stand to lose.
An Uninterruptible Power (UPS) Supply
instantly switches your computer to emergency battery backup power and
allows you to work through brief power outages without data loss or
downtime. With proper software and configuration they can save files and
shut down your computer safely in the event of an extended power failure.
High-performance surge suppression on most of these units protects your
computer from electrical noise and damaging power surges - even lightning.
We at Leader Computer, configure your UPS to inform your IT department and
also our offices, in case of problems with the electrical power to your
servers and monitor their operations.
Q.
Your server may have a UPS, but what happens if there is a power problem and
your server has a UPS but all your key client units now have crashed with
all open files, vulnerable to operating system corruptions, etc?
A.
We think the answer is obvious; with proper consulting we at LEADER
Computer identify your crucial components for business operations and try
to give you a safe and sound computer system.
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