Defining resiliency tiers

Categorize your applications to resiliency tiers based on their RTO and RPO requirements.

The following list is an example of how you can classify a resiliency tier:

• Tier 1: Continuous availability (RTO <= 1 hour and RPO <= 1 hour)
• Tier 2: Advanced recovery (> 1 hour to <= 24 hours and RPO < 2 hours to <= 24 hours)
• Tier 3: Standard recovery (> 24 hours to <= 72 hours and RPO: Last Backup)
• Tier 4: No recovery (Not applicable)

Data replication

Select one of the following data replication methods according to your RTOs and RPOs:

• SAP HANA System Replication, IBM Db2 HADR, or Oracle Data Guard, which uses the database layer of the SAP system for data replication.
• Global Replication Services (GRS) in IBM Power Virtual Server that provides an asynchronous replication and advanced network configuration for quick data transfer to distant locations.
• File share replication in IBM Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) that creates replicas of your file shares in another zone in the same geography. With the File Share Replication feature, you can keep a read-only copy of your file share in a different zone. If you have another VPC in the target region, you can also create a replica in another region in the same location.

Backup and restore

Perform regular backups of critical data and systems and make sure that they are stored in a secure and accessible location. Backups must be aligned with disaster recovery obligations and tested regularly to ensure completeness and successful execution.

Failover and failback

Plan for an automated failover to a secondary site during a disaster. Set up procedures for restoring data to the primary site after the disaster is resolved.

An automated failover and failback procedure in DR plans offers the following benefits:

• Minimizes downtime
• Ensures efficiency
• Maintains consistency
• Scales to complex environments
• Optimizes resource allocation
• Facilitates testing
• Reduces costs
• Improves the overall resiliency

IBM Virtual Private Cloud

Create a snapshot for a file share in VPC. A snapshot is an instant copy of your file share that is mapped to the lifecycle of the file share. For more information, see Planning File Storage for VPC snapshots.

IBM Power Virtual Server

Deploy virtual servers in multiple regions to increase redundancy and availability. Use Global Replication Services (GRS) for asynchronous block storage replication.

IBM Cloud Object Storage

Use IBM Cloud Object Storage, a scalable and cost-effective solution, to store backups and replicated data. The IBM Cloud Object Storage provides features such as resiliency, durability, geographic redundancy, support for incremental backups, data separation, and staging.

Cobalt Iron - Secure Automated Backup

Create backups across multiple environments by using Cobalt Iron, which provides a secure, automated, and cost-effective solution. It includes centralized management of the backup policies, advanced compliance features, and disaster recovery support.

For more details about backup strategies in IBM Power Virtual Server, see Secure automated backup with Compass for AIX and Linux.

Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)

Create isolated networks for a disaster recovery environment with IBM Cloud VPC. It provides logical isolation, custom networking policies, multi-region coverage, high-speed networking, and support for core services.

VPN and Direct Link

Use VPN or Direct Link to establish secure connections between your on-premises infrastructure and IBM Cloud.

Access Controls and Encryption

Implement strict access controls and encrypt data in transit and at rest.

Defining roles and responsibilities

Define roles and responsibilities in a DR plan. A defined DR plan reduces confusion and improves response times as tasks are identified. In addition, a clearly defined DR plan provides the following benefits:

• Avoids duplication of effort and considers the complete recovery process
• Facilitates effective communication and coordination among team members
• Promotes accountability by ensuring that each role has an assigned owner responsible for execution

Staff training

Ensure that your IT staff is trained on the latest disaster recovery procedures and tools. Training ensures that all team members understand their roles during a disaster. This clarity is mandatory for a coordinated response and minimizes confusion when an incident occurs. Regular training helps staff familiarize with the DR procedures and reduce the chance of errors during execution. This familiarity significantly speeds up the recovery process, minimizes downtime, and prevents the adverse impact on business operations.

Arranging for disaster recovery drills

Conduct regular disaster recovery trainings to simulate disaster scenarios and validate your failover and failback procedures. Include the following disaster recovery exercises in the DR plan to minimize downtime and contribute to an effective DR strategy:

• Test the plan.
• Train personnel
• Identify and resolve issues
• Verify compliance
• Document lessons learned

Performance testing

Demonstrate the effectiveness of the DR plan to assure the stakeholders that your organization can recover from disruptions and maintain business continuity. Test the DR environment performance regularly for the following reasons:

• Verify that the DR infrastructure manages the required workload and recovers in the defined Recovery Time Objective (RTO). It determines that critical applications and services are restored quickly and minimizes the downtime and its associated costs.
• Identify possible limitations in the DR environment, allowing for necessary adjustments and optimizations before a real disaster occurs. A proactive approach can prevent unexpected issues during an actual recovery.
• Provide observability about the actual recovery time and data loss. In-depth observability improves the RPO and aligns the DR environment with your organization's risk tolerance.

Compliance audits

Review your DR plan regularly to be compliant with industry regulations and standards. Many industries have regulatory requirements for disaster recovery planning and staff training.

Monitoring tools

Use IBM Cloud monitoring tools to track the health and performance of your DR environment. Monitoring tools provide observability to the DR infrastructure to quickly identify and respond to issues. The tools also help to identify possible obstructions or limitations in the DR environment to make adjustments and optimizations before an actual disaster.