15
Tue, Oct
6 New Articles

Military-Strength Disaster Recovery

Managed Services / SaaS / PaaS / IaaS
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Having the right DR plan enables IT managers to focus on their core business.

 

Busy IT managers sure do have a lot on their plate; it's a fulltime job trying to match up the latest technology options with the endless demands of the business users in a way that keeps everybody happy. The last thing you really want to think about is disaster preparedness, but if a disaster does strike your organization, you know that everyone will be looking to you to get the machines up and running again as quickly as possible and without any dreaded data loss. Have you ever considered Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS)?

 

DRaaS is actually the most popular and prevalent of the cloud services options. It's emerging quickly in the IBM i world, fueled by the arrival of IBM PureFlex system, which is tailor-made for cloud DR. When you think about it, having the ability to replicate your data in real time across any distance to a service provider's data center running a virtualized backup is an exciting prospect.

Tape to DIY

Over the past 10 years, IBM i shops have been moving away from disaster recovery plans that depend on tape as the primary means of recovery. Tape backups are often unreliable, can be days old, and take hours (or longer) to restore when needed after a disaster. Real-time data replication delivers much better recovery time objectives (RTOs) and recovery point objectives (RPOs). IT managers build their own DR infrastructure in-house. This is truly a DIY model, where a second IBM i is set aside for DR and configured in an alternate location. High availability (HA) software is purchased or leased, and the whole thing is monitored, managed, and tested internally. This model works great and has been getting progressively less expensive as hardware, software, and bandwidth continue to drop in price, but now a new model is emergingthat of DRaaS.

DIY to DRaaS

Now we're seeing customers who would rather outsource their DR to a Managed Service Provider (MSP). That means you don't have to build your own infrastructure; someone else can monitor and manage the replication, and experts can run your DR tests for you. Tape backups can be taken and stored at the MSP without the need for transportation. There are obvious cost savings when the MSP provides the backup box as a virtualized server that delivers "load bursting" when required. If you quickly calculate in your head what an average IT department would pay for their own DR infrastructurea backup server that's big enough to run the business should the production server fail, network and data center costs, software, management, and monitoringthat's quite a big number. The MSP can deliver all this in a service-level agreement (SLA)-driven monthly fee.

Why Is DRaaS So Popular?

DRaas has a lot to offer.

  • No hardware purchase required
  • No software purchase needed
  • No up-front capital investment for end customers
  • Fully monitored and managed service
  • Regular testing undertaken by service provider
  • Data center services
  • No long-term commitment
  • Access to technical experts

The Defense Strategy

One such IBM i-centric MSP is Oxford Networks. Located in a former U.S. Navy Command and Control Headquarters in Brunswick, Maine, the facility combines a military-grade high-security data center with a high-speed fibre-optic network. The facility is constructed with reinforced concrete, two barbed wire fences, and access control on all entrances securing the perimeter. With unprecedented levels of security and redundancy, they have the ability to configure any amount of bandwidth required across the USA. Add in some specialist IBM i HA and DR skills, and you can understand why EJ Prescott (EJP) chose Oxford Networks as their DRaaS supplier.

 

Tailored DRaaS Offering

EJ Prescott is a Maine-based, multi-company corporation with locations in nine states. As the company has grown, so has its need for a reliable business continuity solution that provides peace of mind for team EJP. Oxford Networks was able to work with the EJP IT management team to configure just the right solution.

 

The solution crafted for EJP leverages the resources of the Oxford Networks data center and the Oxford Networks fiber-optic network. The Oxford Networks data center uses IBM Power7 systems that are virtualized to deliver the DR hardware requirements. This enables Oxford Networks to provide the DRaaS platform in a secure, power managed, and environmentally controlled facility at a cost much lower than if the DR hardware was purchased separately.

 

Oxford Networks' skilled professionals worked with team EJP to implement the DRaaS solution with little to no impact to the end users or the business. Ongoing proactive monitoring of the DR replication environment and failover or role-swap testing, along with maintaining the environment, is handled by the Oxford Networks Data Center MSP Team.


The result for team EJP is a disaster recovery solution they can count on, that minimizes their workload and provides them with peace of mind, knowing that their data is constantly monitored and managed by a team of experts.

 

By taking away all the pressure and stress of needing to be prepared for a disaster, DRaaS enables IT managers to better focus on the core business and meet the demands of the users. Having DRaaS delivers real savings in both time and money and will allow your business to leverage the latest technology options on offer from IBM and Managed Service Providers.

Maxava is a worldwide provider of innovative Monitoring, High Availability and Disaster Recovery software solutions for the IBM i platform and other systems. Customers have been using Maxava HA software for more than 16 years to ensure business continuity, reduce risk and meet regulatory requirements. Maxava’s software ensures business resilience for a cross-section of the world’s most demanding IBM i customers through SaaS, Cloud, Subscription and traditional Licensed software models.

Providing critical business continuity solutions to customers around the globe, Maxava’s implementations span a diverse set of industries including Banking, Telecommunications, Government, Manufacturing and Healthcare. Many of the worlds most trusted consumer brands are supported by IT environments strengthened by the use of the Maxava HA suite. Maxava is responsible for over 2000 installations globally and provides 24x7x365 support directly to over 40 countries through regional offices located in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Visit maxava.com for more information or find out what our customers have to say at Maxava Customer Case Study Videos.

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: