One of the biggest decisions in any disaster recovery plan is where to locate. Until recently, many business and companies located their disaster recovery plans in a building adjacent to their operational premises. It is recommended that the optimal location for a disaster recovery center takes the following factors into consideration. Disaster Recovery
1. Physical Distance
The disaster recovery center should be far enough from your data center that will not be affected by the same disasters. If the primary data center is in an earthquake, tornado or hurricane zone, the disaster recovery center should not be located in the same area.
It is also important to take into account any regulatory factors that apply to the business' industry. Certain businesses, especially those in telecommunications, banking, and finance, must adhere to particular regulatory demands. Regulators will often mandate the minimal distance between the primary data center and the disaster recovery center. Complying with these requirements is always a primary concern. HIPAA Compliance
2. Topological Distance
The topological distance is the distance measured by response time, including lines of communication and bandwidth. Unlike the physical location of your disaster recovery center, where physical distance enhances protection, the topological distance should be kept to a minimum. The chosen location should provide sufficient bandwidth, communications, and critical infrastructure connections. It should also provide other resources needed to support the business continuity plan during the disaster.
It is important to remember that greater distance between the primary data center and the disaster recovery center increases telecommunication costs. It also places greater strains on technology and communications infrastructure and limits the choice of suitable remote copy technology. MSP Services
3. Geophysical Conditions
In order to avoid the spreading effects of a natural disaster, moving the disaster recovery center a minimum distance from the primary location is sufficient. Disasters often spread beyond the predicted area if the outlying terrain does not offer features to impede it. The ideal location should be in a separate flood basin, avoid seismic fault lines and have a large mountain or mountain range separating it from the primary data center.
4. Transportation
The distance between a primary data center and disaster recovery data centers may make it difficult for employees to reach the recovery site. This can be significantly worsened during a crisis, as roads may become damaged or blocked, public transport can be disrupted, or airspace may be closed. A site should, therefore, have as many rails, road and air links as possible.
5. Vicinity of Strategic objects
High profile metropolitan areas may be unsuitable for a disaster recovery data center as they bring with them the threat of terrorism and thus increased vulnerability. A disaster recovery center should also never be positioned in close vicinity to objects or locations of strategic importance to the country. Furthermore, in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist incident, strategic locations will have a strong military, police and emergency services presence that impede access to the disaster recovery center. It is important to choose a disaster recovery center location that is a safe distance from any strategic sites such as military bases, oil refineries or major transport hubs like airports. Network Services