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Survey & recommend DRP methodology; cost-effective data protection against disasters; risk analysis, solution design, testing, maintenance & training for compliance with ISO 27000.
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Disaster Recovery Planning& Cross-Border Backup of Data among AMEDA Members Vipin Mahabirsingh Managing Director, CDS Mauritius For Workgroup on Cross-Border Backup Solutions (Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritius & Swift)
Objectives • To make a survey to assess the current status at each AMEDA member regarding Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP) • To make recommendations on DRP methodology based on international standards • To find cost-effective solutions to protect each member’s data against national and regional disasters
DRP Methodology • Risk Analysis • Solution Design & Implementation • Testing • Maintenance and Training • Ensure compliance with ISO 27000
Risk Analysis • Business impact analysis (B.I.A) • Settlement Platform • Communication services (File transfer; web applications; Network facilities) • Key Metrics • R.P.O (Recovery Point Objective) : 1 hour • R.T.O (Recovery Time Object) : 2 hours
Risk Analysis • Threat analysis: (most important) • System Outage • Power Outage • Fire • Flood • Earthquake, Tsunami • Terrorism • War • Definition of impact scenarios
Solution Design and Implementation • Hot stand-by in a local site (High availability solution & SAN) • Recovery site (20 Km recommended) • Data Backup at regular interval • to tape and sent off-site • to disc and automatically copied to off-site disk (data replication) • Electric generator and UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) • Service bureau (Telecom outage) • Documentation (Responsibilities, Decision Tree, Procedures etc.)
Testing/Simulation • Technical swing from primary to secondary site • Application test • Telecom test • Command team : IT Team • Frequency : 2-3 times a year
Maintenance and Training • Changes (staff, supplies, …) • Technical solutions verification (patch distribution, hardware & software operability check, data backup verification) • Treatment of test failures • On-going training of existing and new staff
Cross-Border Backup of Data • To find cost-effective solutions to protect each member’s data against national and regional disasters • Alternative 1 - Bilateral arrangements between members • Alternative 2 - Hub and spoke model whereby one or two AMEDA members set up the necessary hardware and software for storing the backup data of all AMEDA members
Challenges • How to ensure the security of the data during transmission and storage? • Only the AMEDA member which generated the backup data should have access to this data • How to deal with the large size of the backup files to be transferred? Not easy to find cost-effective solutions for the remote transfer of large files
Possible Solution Applicable to both Alternatives 1 & 2 • Each AMEDA member generates a backup file at specific times during the day • Backup file is then encrypted and the key will be known only to the AMEDA member • File compressed and sent to the backup server via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) over the Internet or via SWIFT • The backup site must be fully secured and must meet industry standards on security and data recovery (e.g standards of the Uptime Institute) • Even at the backup site, the file can be accessed only by the AMEDA member which generated the file
Backup site • In Alternative 1 two AMEDA members can agree to act as backup sites for each other. • In Alternative 2 backup site could be hosted in one or two countries which are less exposed to natural and man-made calamities • Should be geographically far from high risk areas • Should have sufficient capacity to store the data of all AMEDA members – Not Applicable to Alternative 1 • In either case, backup service to be covered under a Standard Service Level Agreement between backup site and the other AMEDA member/s
Cost implications • Alternative 1 is less costly since existing equipment and links could be used given less that less capacity would be required if backup is done on a bilateral basis • In Alternative 2 the backup site would have to charge a reasonable service fee to the other AMEDA members to recover its investment in any additional equipment and to cover direct costs • Existing hosting service providers may be used • High speed Internet links or Swift connection required • Detailed business case can be developed if there is interest for this solution