RE: Disaster Recovery

["Al Barsa, Jr." <barsa2@xxxxxxx>]

At 04:35 PM 02/08/2000 -0500, you wrote:
>IBM has a number of hotsite facilities around the country.  You can contract
>with IBM to provide hotsite services for you.  They allow you to test your
>recovery procedures yearly.  When a disaster is imminent (as in a hurricane
>warning down here) you call IBM and "declare" a disaster and they reserve
>space and resources for you.  Call your salesperson for more particulars.
>When we looked into it, it made more economic sense to contract with IBM
>than it did to try to set up our own AS/400 hotsite at one of our remote
>sites.

Let me say this about that.

I have done a few of actual disasters in a hot site, and numerous tests at 
various vendors.  I did recover several systems from the World Trade Center 
bombing in 92.

The only vendor that we feel does an adequate job is IBM, they provide 
current equipment, and have knowledgeable staff.  I have been to many other 
vendors, and found the service to be inadequate.

A few tips:

1.      Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.  This business is very profitable, 
and there is a lot of margin for profit.  Face a few vendors off against 
each other.  Don't just pick the one who is the cheapest, look for quality 
and nuisance fees during tests.

2.      The likelihood of using one of these sites for a real disaster is 
low.  You will mainly use them for tests.

3.      Write short contracts.  The equipment will be worthless in a year 
or two anyway.

4.      Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.

Al




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Al Barsa, Jr. - Account for Midrange-L
Barsa Consulting, LLC.  
400 > 390

Phone:          914-251-1234
Fax:            914-251-9406
http://www.barsaconsulting.com
http://www.taatool.com

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