QuickShip Technology Solutions - A Valuable Addition to Internal Recovery

This article was originally written for the CUNA Technology Council and appeared on its Web site on July 3, 2007. It was writted by Agility's Paul Sullivan.

To prepare for a business interruption, many companies use internal recovery capabilities for some or all of their technology requirements. There are three primary reasons for this trend; the desire to minimize data loss through data replication, the need for quicker recovery through hot standby processors and the desire to reduce perceived high costs and high risks associated with commercial recovery vendors.
While internal recovery is a viable strategy for some businesses, there are many challenges that may encourage a business to consider alternate recovery tactics. For example, the initial costs required for building full recovery capability and the costs required to maintain a mirrored environment can be prohibitive and/or more judiciously allocated.

Another challenge to internal recovery is assuring the backup capability addresses the entire recovery workload not just the highest priority applications. Because it is difficult to separate the applications and data into logical workloads, it is difficult if not impossible to separate the highest priority applications at the internal recovery site and to use a commercial facility for other applications. As a result, those that desire high availability internally tend to have a fully redundant data center.
For businesses struggling with the challenges of recovery internally, QuickShip technology can play a very cost-effective role in strategic recovery efforts.

QuickShip Technology Solution
QuickShip technology vendors can supply companies the required servers, tape devices, printers, fax machines, PC's, network equipment – all within 12 to 24 hours. Ensure QuickShip solutions are fully testable and depending on recovery time objectives, can address requirements for Tier One, Tier Two and Tier Three applications. The benefits to utilizing a QuickShip solution in place of developing and maintaining a mirrored environment include:

• Reduced upfront and ongoing expenses:
o Purchase only the minimum amount of equipment needed in the first 24 hours
o Other back-up equipment does not have to be purchased and/or replaced
o Reduced requirements for maintenance, software, power and cooling
o Reduces duplication of upgrades and technology refreshes
• Save valuable time and resources
o Technology expertise and assistance available for implementation and trouble
shooting
o Consulting assistance to determine requirements, viable strategies and plan
development
• Utilize vendor's resource base instead of acquiring secondary equipment
o Application priorities should be able to be changed through simple changes to
the contract
o Ensure vendor will ship everything you need, exactly when you need it
o Additional production capability available for occasional or seasonal requirements
o Cost effective way to back up technology that is being phased out
• Address entire workload, not just priority applications.
o Ability to ship technology in waves within predetermined time frames according to
established recovery priorities

QuickShip can be a highly valuable addition to any internal recovery plan; reducing upfront and ongoing expenses and conserving valuable time and resources. Helping companies recover with less risk and less cost.
Paul Sullivan is VP and General Manager of Agility Recovery Solutions, the premier provider of disaster recovery and business continuity solutions across the United States and Canada . For more information about Agility's turn-key recovery solution visit www.agilityrecovery.com.