The purpose of this blog is to stress the importance of Disaster Recovery testing. What made this topic important to me is that recently we completed a DR test for one of our clients. The DR test revealed that their system backup was bad, which came as a shock to the client. Understandably, the client was unhappy to pay for the test only to learn their DR plan could not work because the backup was bad.
So, let’s stress the importance of understanding how to do a clean backup. I have included a link to an excellent IBM guide that covers the topic of how to back up your IBM i system.
Disclaimer: IBM i is an operating system. iSeries and AS400 are servers. I use them interchangeably to make it easier for folks to find this information on the web.
Congratulations! You’ve created and implemented a Disaster Recovery (DR) Plan. Now you can rest assured that in the aftermath of a disaster, your valuable systems and data will be rapidly restored.
But do you know that for sure?
The Disaster Recovery Test Was Successful. It Proved The Backup Was BAD. Yikes!
Recently one of my customers did a DR test.
The test was successful — it revealed that the BACKUP was BAD.
How come?
Two reasons.
First, when they upgraded from their IBM POWER7 8202-E4D to a new POWER9 9009-41A, the backup procedure was changed.
Second, the customer’s systems administrator did not know how to determine if the Save21 ran successfully. (You have to go to the job log to look up the message to see if the Save21 successfully completed.)
Why Test?
While no one wants to pay for a test that “seems” bad, you DO want to know if you have an issue that needs attention.
So you know FOR SURE that you have a good backup.
This customer did NOT have a clue that their backup was bad — and I do not think he is alone because SO many users FAIL to do any backup testing.
That is why we stress DR testing for all of our clients.
Unfortunately, only a fraction of them actually tests.
An Excellent IBM Link To Understand How To Backup Your IBM i System
This is an excellent link to learn more about IBM i V7.3 backups:
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_73/rzaiu/rzaiupdf.pdf
Page 6 of this IBM PDF explains:
Verifying what the system saved
Verify what the system saved explains techniques to audit your save strategy. You will learn which objects the system saved, which objects the system did not save, and when the system last saved an object.
You can use the job log or an output file to determine which objects the system saved successfully.
Disaster Recovery Testing Is A Critical Component Of Successful DR Planning.
That’s why Cloud400 includes Recovery Testing in every client’s Cloud400 Online Backup Solution right from the start. Quite simply, without Recovery Testing, you don’t really have a valid DR Plan.
Think of Recovery Testing as you would a fire drill. You perform a fire drill to ensure that everyone evacuates safely. The process helps you identify issues and create solutions, so that if a fire does break out, you are prepared.
Recovery Testing simulates an outage, ensuring that if the real thing occurs, your backup media is uncorrupted and the procedures you have put in place are complete.
Why Disaster Recovery Testing?
Your business isn’t static; it’s a flowing, growing entity. Changes to your IT environment, staff turnover, and technology updates can impact your DR Plan and make complete recovery impossible.
Annual Disaster Recovery Testing helps you:
• Adapt your DR Plan to accommodate any changes to your systems,
• Confirm everyone in your organization is aware of their role in the recovery process and up to speed on their responsibilities,
• Pinpoint problems, such as security issues, that can result from infrastructure changes,
• Spot any details you may have missed,
• Ensure that a recovery will run smoothly,
• Gain peace of mind that comes from knowing your data is protected and that your DR Plan will not fail.
You’ve invested a lot into your DR Plan. Disaster Recovery Testing confirms that it was time, energy, and money well spent.
Questions about Cloud400’s Disaster Recovery Testing? The expert Cloud400 tech team is happy to help. Contact us today. Call 714-593-0387 or email me at blosey@source-data.com.
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