Business Continuity Issues to Consider for AS/400 Enterprises
Backup Solutions
According to the Business Continuity Institute, nearly 25% of companies surveyed had suffered some loss of IT in 2002. This can affect companies in different ways but to an increasing number of companies, loss of IT can have disastrous consequences. Backup software might be needed for key systems. Backup storage is probably essential for key information. For many companies, the data held on their AS/400 is essential for business continuity and therefore, a comprehensive backup system is essential both in terms of backup data, backup operating systems, and backup hardware to replace destroyed hardware rapidly.
Offsite Data Storage
It's imperative to diversity your risk of disaster by storing your backup tapes offsite in a secure location. Daily changed data should be saved and tape should be shipped offsite. Frequency of distribution varies from enterprise to enterprise.
Good Backups
It's important to verify good backups are being completed. One way to inspect your backups on an annual basis is to run a thorough test with your disaster recovery plan provider. For more information on AS/400 backups:
Business Continuity Telecommunications
In an emergency, communication becomes very important. It is possible for a location to lose its entire fixed line telephony capability as a result of a cable being damaged some distance from that location. This will result in loss in incoming and outgoing telephone communication. Any thorough business continuity planning must take into account alternate AS/400 connectivity.
Server Consolidation-Microsoft, Linux, Unix
File servers running alternate applications must also be factored into your planning. Server consolidation may be a good option here and have your AS400 mirrored at your disaster recovery provider. For more information on application consolidation onto the new IBM i5 iSeries eservers:
IBM iSeries i5 Server Consolidation (PDF format)
Business Continuity Planning
In order to maintain continuity in business, it is essential to develop a comprehensive business continuity plan. This plan should cover every aspect of your business, from IT to Facilities to Press Relations and H.R. Indeed, the first part of the planning cycle should be to identify all the different parts of your business and consider how they might be affected under adverse conditions. Effective business continuity planning is not just about crisis management; its main purpose is to prevent the crisis in the first place. It's not enough just to have your AS400 or iSeries backed up with data offsite, or even a hotsite. The i5 and other servers don't operate in a vacuum and all periphery services must be included in any planning. For a broad perspective on operational resiliency and business continuity planning and seven steps to begin your journey:
Corporate Business Resiliency Overview (PDF format)
Locking in Your Backup AS/400
There are many options available for the AS/400 IT director of today. From the traditional hotsites that offer AS/400 hardware on a "fist come, first served" basis, to dedicated server disaster recovery plans, to high availability plans that include replicating your data on your backup AS400. Key factors to examine are how much CPU power will you have available on your backup server? How much Disk? How will that server connect to your locations?
The solution you implement comes down to how much downtime costs you and how much risk management is willing to be exposed to regarding threats from weather, employees, and even terrorism. You may wish to find a hotsite in a different region of the country, or one closer to your facility. There's pros and cons with each.
Business Insurance
Business insurance is essential to every company. Costs have been rising as business risk has increased over the years. Also, the costs of settling insurance claims have been rising as well. In a recent survey by the Business Continuity Institute, it was shown that 25% of companies who implemented a business continuity plan in 2002 did so at the request or direction of their insurance company. Its time for companies to take more responsibility for the risks that they face. With a comprehensive Business Continuity Plan and effective risk assessment, companies both large and small can give their insurers a better understanding of the risks they are being asked to cover. In addition, the insurer will know the steps that the company has taken to reduce those risks. While insurance covers some risks, it's critical to make sure you understand what risks are covered and which ones you're still exposed to. Run through a hypothetical scenario where your AS/400 is destroyed by flood: What happens next? What exactly will the insurance reimburse your firm for? Will that be enough to insure your firm will survive? Most don't, without any prior plan in place.
Commercial Insurance
Commercial insurance is essential to every company. Costs have been rising as business risk has increased over the years. Also, the costs of settling insurance claims have been rising as well. In a recent survey by the Business Continuity Institute, it was shown that 25% of companies who implemented a business continuity plan in 2002 did so at the request or direction of their insurance company.
Computer Protection: Gateway into your iSeries
Computer protection programs are increasingly required as the sophistication of viruses increases along with their frequency. The need for such products is increasing as the threat of unauthorized malicious software grows. According to a leading computer magazine, an increasing number of news reports have appeared over the past 12-18 months concerning programs that can install themselves on your PC and gain covert control of its functions. While sometimes the near perfect track record of the OS software running on our AS/400 puts us to sleep, we need to recognize kinks in the armor beyond our operating systems and look at connectivity and other applications running in our extended networks.
How, though, does an attacker gain access to your equipment? Through any connection that you have to the outside world. This includes Internet connections, dial-up modems, and even physical access. Again, we're often lulled to sleep by the security our AS/400 systems contain in the operating software, but today with users with internet and email access, many threats can be imported other ways beyond hacking the operating software.
In order to be able to adequately address security, all possible avenues of entry must be identified and evaluated. The security of that entry point must be consistent with your stated policy on acceptable risk levels
Contingency Planning and Preventative Maintenance
Planned preventative maintenance is an essential element of any business continuity plan. Your Business Continuity Plan will have shown you where the areas of most risk are within the company. When you have quantified the risk, you will need to consider what contingencies you need to put in place in order to reduce the impact of business disruption.
Effective contingency planning can require a good deal of work in order to ensure that you have achieved the right balance between cost and the likelihood of needing to implement the contingency. Also, the cost of the contingency can be brought down dramatically by using specialists to help you. Make sure you're testing your backup tapes annually. You'll be surprised at how often even some of the largest, most sophisticated AS400 shops find glitches
Data Recovery Solutions: Beyond your AS/400
Data is the backbone of many companies regardless of size. In many companies there is no data strategy and sometimes the most valuable data might be held on individual PCs or other network servers around the business. Effective and timely data recovery might make the difference between a company staying in business or not.
Disaster Recovery Prioritizing
The worst has happened and your business has suffered a disaster. You might not be trading. Your resources will certainly be under a huge amount of pressure. There may be loss of life, loss of physical assets and possibly loss of key business intelligence. Your data center, communications, your servers, your AS/400 may be destroyed. Indeed in many instances, your business will be affected on many fronts at the same time.
It is important to identify your key partner vendors that can help you in these extremely difficult circumstances. Putting contingency plans in place is always a good idea in terms of vendors, but you also must have worked out who contacts who, and when. Also, ensure that all plans have been communicated effectively to all parties who might be affected both within the enterprise and outside. Start with getting a disaster recovery plan in place for your key data and hardware, then build the plan outward from there. Also be clear what applications, protocols, and procedures are paramount and "triage" those accordingly in terms of what comes back first.
Document Security
Up to 70% of critical business information is held in physical (not electronic) form. It is likely that some of the most important items that a company has will be held on paper contracts, sales invoices, certificates etc. Back-up is essential converting to electronic format or recording in electronic format. Utilizing IBM's InfoPrint or various other software programs may allow you to scan valuable documents and secure that data offsite
Risk Analysis
Effective risk analysis can deliver big benefits to your company. In order to manage your insurance exposure it is important to analyze risk effectively. Risk analysis can be broken down into 2 main areas operational risk and financial risk.
Operational risk analysis will cover the whole range of risk analysis from physical assets such as buildings, cars and equipment. It is possible to get professional help in assisting you in quantifying risk in these areas. You might also get help from your insurance company as well. Having identified your risk profile, buy putting in place a comprehensive business continuity plan, you may well be able to reduce your insurance premiums in several areas.
Financial risk management is becoming a major issue as a result of legislation being brought in both here in the UK and in the US and Europe. Sarbanes Oxley and Basel 2 are making financial institutions think very hard about the how they manage financial risk. Again, expert consultants and software is available to help you to comply with the future legislation in this area.
Risk Assessment
Risk assessment is essential for any Business Continuity Plan and any major project. This is a highly specialized area where many conflicting parameters have to be considered.
How likely is the risk what are the chances of it happening?
What are the consequences if such an event did occur?
What are the various options available to offset or reduce the risk?.
What are the costs and benefits of each option?.
Is there any legislation to be considered?.
There is risk assessment software available to help you with these questions. When undertaking a major project, a full risk assessment should also be undertaken.
Risk Management
Having identified the business risks through the Business Continuity Plan, it is essential that a full risk management programme is introduced and maintained at all times.
Can alternative strategies be adopted that will avoid the current risk?
Can the risk be reduced by a change in procedures or working practices?
Can some or all of the risk be transferred to another party?
Security Systems
Physical security is paramount. As in all areas, a security system is more beneficial than a random approach of covering some but not all of the potential threats. From secure perimeter fencing and doors to access control systems that restrict access according to pre defined criteria. In addition there is the most accurate type of identification system Iris recognition or hand geometry identification. Many of us have seen the "AS/400 in a closet", but in the age we're living in, data center integrity is paramount.
Surveillance
The security camera is now a highly sophisticated device that can be used in most environments. Through the use of digital technology, specialist cameras and video recorders can capture images over long periods of time and offer picture enhancement and frame capture.
Workplace Continuity
One of the biggest areas for business disruption is a loss of workplace. For a manufacturer, this could threaten the very existence of the company; but even for a small service sector business, the results could be far reaching. Workplace continuity is becoming increasingly important in facilities management because access to the workplace is threatened in many ways.
Public transport delays or strikes
Fuel shortages
Flood and wind problems
AS/400 destroyed beyond repair
Loss of key services
