DOMAIN 7 Flashcards
Electronic Vaulting
accomplished by backing up system data over a network. Backup location is usually at separate geographical locations known as the vault site. Can be used as a mirror or a backup mechanism using the standard incremental or differential back up cycle.
Journalin or Remote Journaling
Technique used by database management systems to provide redundancy for their transactions. When Transactions are complete, DB management system duplicates the journal entry at a remote location. Provides sufficient detail to be replayed by remote system.
Database shadowing
Used where a database management system updates records in multiple locations. This technique updates an entire copy of the database at a remote location
Data Diddling
The unauthorized changing of data before or duing their input to a computer system. Examples are forging or counterfeiting documents and ex-changing valid computer tapes or cards with prepared replacements.
Full Back up
The “Full” or “normal” backup type is the most standard. This is the backup type that you would use if you wanted to backup every file in a given folder or drive. It backs up everything you direct it to regardless of what the archive bit says. It also resets all archive bits (puts the flags down). Most backup software, including the built-in Windows backup software, lets you select down to the individual file that you want backed up. You can also choose to backup things like the “system state”.
Incremental
When you schedule an incremental backup, you are in essence instructing the software to only backup files that have been changed, or files that have their flag up. After the incremental backup of that file has occured, that flag will go back down. If you perform a normal backup on Monday, then an incremental backup on Wednesday, the only files that will be backed up are those that have changed since Monday. If on Thursday someone deletes a file by accident, in order to get it back you will have to restore the full backup from Monday, followed by the Incremental backup from Wednesday.
Differential
Differential backups are similar to incremental backups in that they only backup files with their archive bit, or flag, up. However, when a differential backup occurs it does not reset those archive bits which means, if the following day, another differential backup occurs, it will back up that file again regardless of whether that file has been changed or not.
Hot Site
A facility that is leased or rented and is fully configured and ready to operate within a few hours. The only missing resources from a hot site are usually the data, which will be retrieved from a backup site, and the people who will be processing the data. The equipment and system software must absolutely be compatible with the data being restored from the main site and must not cause any negative interoperability issues. Some facilities, for a fee, store data backups close to the hot site. These sites are a good choice for a
company that needs to ensure a site will be available for it as soon as possible. Most hot-site facilities support annual tests that can be done by the company to ensure the site is functioning in the necessary state of readiness. This is the most expensive of the three types of offsite facilities. It can pose problems if a company requires proprietary or unusual hardware or software.
Hot Site Advantages • Ready within hours for operation • Highly available • Usually used for short-term solutions, but available for longer stays • Annual testing available Hot Site Disadvantages • Very expensive • Limited on hardware and software choices
Cold Site
Leased or rented facility that supplies the basic environment, electrical wiring, air conditioning, plumbing, and flooring, but none of the equipment or additional services. A cold site is essentially an empty data center. It may take weeks to get the site activated and ready for work. The cold site could have equipment racks and dark fiber (fiber that does not have the circuit engaged) and maybe even desks. However, it would require the receipt of equipment from the client, since it does not provide any. The cold site is the least expensive option, but takes the most time and effort to actually get up and functioning right after a disaster, as the systems and software must be delivered, tweaked, and configured. Cold sites are often used as backups for call centers, manufacturing plants, and other services that can be moved lock, stock, and barrel in one shot.If an emergency is a long one, some places will start their recovery in a hot or warm site, and transfer some operations over to a cold site after the latter has had time to set up. It is important to understand that the different site types listed here are provided by service bureaus. A service bureau is a company that has additional space and capacity to provide applications and services such as call centers. A company pays a monthly subscription fee to a service bureau for this space and service. The fee can be paid for contingencies such as disasters and emergencies. You should evaluate the ability of a service bureau to provide services as you would divisions within your own organization, particularly on matters such as its ability to alter its software and hardware configurations or to expand its operations to meet the needs of a contingency.
Warm Site
Most companies use warm sites, which have some devices such as disk drives, tape drives, and controllers, but very little else. These companies usually cannot afford a hot site, and the extra downtime would not be considered detrimental. A warm site can provide a longer-term solution than a hot site. Companies that decide to go with a cold site must be able to be out of operation for a week or two. The cold site usually includes power, raised flooring, climate control, and wiring.
Warm and Cold Site Advantages
• Less expensive
• Available for longer timeframes because of the reduced costs
• Practical for proprietary hardware or software use
Warm and Cold Site Disadvantages
• Operational testing not usually available
• Resources for operations not immediately available
Reciprocal Agreements
Another approach to alternate offsite facilities is to establish a reciprocal agreement with another company, usually one in a similar field or that that has similar technological infrastructure. This means that company A agrees to allow company B to use its facilities if company B is hit by a disaster, and vice versa. This is a cheaper way to go than the other offsite choices, but it is not always the best choice. Most environments are maxed out pertaining to the use of facility space, resources, and computing capability. To allow another company to come in and work out of the same shop could prove to be detrimental to both companies. Whether it can assist the other company while tending effectively to its own business is an open question. The stress of two companies working in the same environment could cause tremendous levels of tension. If it did work out, it would only provide a short-term solution. Configuration management could be a nightmare. Does the other company upgrade to new technology and retire old systems and software? If not, one company’s systems may become incompatible
with that of the other company If you allow another company to move into your facility and work from there, you may have a solid feeling about your friend, the CEO, but what about all of her employees, whom you do not know? The mixing of operations could introduce many security issues. Now you have a new subset of people who may need to have privileged and direct access to your resources in the shared environment. This other company could be your competitor in the business world, so many of the employees may see you and your company more as a threat than one that is offering a helping hand in need. Close attention needs to be paid when assigning these other people access rights and permissions
to your critical assets and resources, if they need access at all. Careful testing is recommended to see if one company or the other can handle the extra loads. Reciprocal agreements have been known to work well in specific businesses, such as newspaper printing. These businesses require very specific technology and equipment that will not be available through any subscription service. These agreements follow a “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” mentality. For most other organizations, they are generally, at best, a secondary option for disaster protection. The other issue to consider is that these agreements are not enforceable. This means that although company A said company B could use its facility when needed, when the need arises, company A legally does not have to fulfill this promise. However, there are still many companies who do opt for this solution either because of the appeal of low cost or, as noted earlier, because it may be the only viable solution in some cases.A variation on a reciprocal agreement is a consortium, or mutual aid agreement. In this case, more than two organizations agree to help one other in case of an emergency. Adding multiple organizations to the mix, as you might imagine, can make things even more complicated. The same concerns that apply with reciprocal agreements apply here, but even more so. Organizations entering into such agreements need to formally and legally write out their mutual responsibilities in advance. Interested parties, including the legal and IT departments, should carefully scrutinize such accords before the organization signs onto them.
Redundant Sites
Some companies choose to have redundant sites, or mirrored sites, meaning one site is equipped and configured exactly like the primary site, which serves as a redundant environment. The business-processing capabilities between the two sites can be completely synchronized. These sites are owned by the company and are mirrors of the original production environment. A redundant site has clear advantages: it has full availability, is ready to go at a moment’s notice, and is under the organization’s complete control. This is, however, one of the most expensive backup facility options, because a full environment must be maintained even though it usually is not used for regular production activities until after a disaster takes place that triggers the relocation of services to the redundant site. But expensive is relative here. If the company would lose a million dollars if it were out of business for just a few hours, the loss potential would override the cost of this option. Many organizations are subjected to regulations that dictate they must have redundant sites in place, so expense is not an issue in these situations.
Mobile Sites
Another option available is the mobile site, meaning the data center of an organization is housed in a mobile trailer or possibly a standard sea cargo shipping container. Should disaster strike, an organization can simply load up the cargo container data center and move it to another location which has the power, resources and connectivity required to continue operations.
The advantages to this approach include:
Highly mobile and relatively easy to transport. Modular approach to building data centers. Buildings are not required to house equipment.
The disadvantages include:
“cold site” capability must be built at determined locations. The density and design of the container make upgrading and customizing challenging. Maintaining a shipping contract or equipment to move the container in times of disaster can be expensive.
Media Viability Controls Include:
Marking, Handling and storage
Circumstantial Evidence
Defined as inference of information from other, intermediate, relevant facts.
