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Protect your Power - Protect you Data
This is a short article, by an IT administrator, to help SME's (Small to Medium Enterprises) to think about how important the data is, that resides in the server in the corner, and how to protect it with active power protection.
If the power to the servers fails, there is a risk of data-loss, even with the sophistication of modern disks and file-systems (such as NTFS). Even a brief power-drop (often called a "brown-out" in the USA, to draw the similarity to a "black-out"), can result in incomplete file-writes. Data must be consistently written, at a constant speed and bit-rate, with the proper power available to ALL components, to be safely stored for proper retrieval afterwards. A short power-dip can often cause more "logical" damage than a complete lack of power, as the server can get corrupted memory blocks, but still continue the intended disk update. Data can be held in various staging areas (caches), and in some power situations, only PART of the intended update actually makes it permanently on to your precious disk files (your latest large important sale item for example). So without a serious power protection system fully installed your critical servers are wide open to power failure and your systems have no built in POWER CONTINUITY.
Power surges and "spikes" can be even more damaging, as the components on the controller boards on each disk, or on the Motherboard itself, can get damaged by such spikes. Without uninterruptible power supplies that are true online there is no chance of preventing these millisecond disruptions.
The majority of small businesses out there have a small server or 2, holding their company and accounting data. Actually there is often a LOT more than that, held on the server.
The problem is that the perception by some senior people (especially the high-level managers and Financial Directors, and even the CIO if there is the equivalent in any SME) is that there is NO PROBLEM with power availability or surges, BECAUSE THEY TEND TO USE LAPTOPS AND MOBILE PHONES. These, of course, have internal batteries, that keep the laptop running, even if there is a long period without power. Certainly the short duration power-dips and surges will tend to be smoothed out and not noticed by the typical laptop user. However, these can wreak havoc with servers and desktops.
Here below, is a typical average list of what many companies hold on their servers.
·Accounting data - this can be further split into sales or services or products, purchasing the products, customer master file, product list, product pricing. In other words ALL the information you need to be able to send out your invoices, check stock levels, order new stock , and create monthly management reports for P&L. This information is also required to be able to produce figures for company accounts.
·Product data, production information, production costings.
·Banking details (online banking etc)
·Company website (or at least data feeds of stock, product data, to feed your ISP to update your site).
Those in charge need to think of the DATA, PRODUCT/SERVICES RECORDS, and ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE, and ACCOUNTING RECORDS as a key part of the business, not just an add-on to manage what you make or sell. How long can you survive without the ability to send out invoices, and process incoming cheques? Do you have a business continuity strategy at all? Have you considered power protection as being a necessity? Who is responsible for POWER CONTINUITY?
It is also vital that the storing of any individuals' PERSONAL DETAILS (even if just name and address with banking details) is held securely, and backed up. The ICO (the Information Commissioners Office) needs to know, and you are required to register with the ICO, if you keep Customers names and addresses on file, record staff working hours, or their addresses and phone numbers. Imagine having to re-gather all this information, and having to get it re-keyed into a new system.
Most excuses run like this:
It is OK because
1)We have a backup server
2)We have regular backups
3)We have RAID/MIRRORED disks
There are many pitfalls in the above, even if you implement all three.
The problem with a "backup server", is keeping it in sync with the "live" server.
Also, power surges and drop-outs can affect BOTH of these, even if on a different phase (if 3-phase is used in your building).
Regular backups are OK, if you have some way of testing the backup tapes. When did you last test you could actually read your backup tapes on the backup server? Do you have the same type of backup software (at the same level) running on there, to enable you to perform a successful recovery of all data, in to the correct places?? This assumes also, that you have the SAME accounting software installed, set up in the same way, so that the recovered data goes back into the correct places. Remember, recovering an OPERATING SYSTEM is totally different to RECOVERING ALL YOUR LIVE DATA.
If you try to recover all your accounting data backed up by SAGE for example, onto your backup server, would the restored data automatically open SAGE ACCOUNTS in the correct accounting year or period, if you set up the backup server a couple of years ago for example??
RAID-MIRRORED DISKS: whilst these DO provide a good protection against a FAILED DISK (if set up correctly), they will NOT protect against a logical corruption of data. If a server or memory fault results in bad data being written to disk, THEN IT GETS WRITTEN TO BOTH SIDES OF THE RAID ARRAY (mirror). The RAID disk system will NOT know there is anything wrong with your data, until you or your accounting program comes to read it again (and that could be in weeks or months time).
Most SME's in the above scenarios should seriously consider some form of UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies) with line conditioning, to at least allow an orderly shutdown of KEY IT equipment. If you have servers supporting some sort of sales desk as well, it is worth considering large enough units to keep the power going to support your key IT driven functions for as long as practically possible, until power is restored. Although UPS systems will power protect for short periods in minutes you will actually require a diesel generator as standby emergency power system in the event of a prolonged power outage as diesel generators can run for hours and days with regular re-fuelling.
Think seriously about the level of BUSINESS CONTINUITY you require, and contact POWER CONTINUITY for a wealth of experience, help, advice, and a very good site FAQ section.
Remember that this is not a trivial investment, so correct information about your business needs, power requirements and expected uptime/continuity is vital. The seemingly trivial mistake of counting WATTS and VA (VOLT-AMPS) as the same value, can mean the difference between an unexpected crash, and an orderly shutdown, with your data intact.
Always check with the experts at POWER CONTINUITY before making the decision of HOW you are going to protect your IT equipment and the important data it holds, and the WHEN will follow smoothly.
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